Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk – Always Know (1979/2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 7, 2023 · Comments off

Thelonious Monk fans in particular are advised to search for this valuable two-LP set for it contains a variety of unissued material from the pianist/composer’s six-year period with Columbia. Monk is heard on three piano solos, with his regular working quartet, heading a trio on “Easy Street” and at his renowned Lincoln Center concert with a nonet on “Light Blue” and “Bye Ya.” The music on this two-fer is at the same consistent high level as his Columbia recordings of the 1960s and contains some surprising moments. – Scott Yanow

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Thelonious Monk – Always Know (1979/2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 7, 2023 · Comments off

The year 2017 will see the centenary of the birth of pianist and composer Thelonious Monk. And although his music was written between the 40s and 60s, it continues to fascinate jazzmen of all generations and all aesthetics. Born of this fascination, Always Know Monk is a kaleidoscopic variation of the repertoire of the composer, repertoire passed to the prism of the many interpretations he has aroused, from Bud Powell to Alexander Von Schlippenbach through Steve Lacy and Paul Motian. The compositions are treated like mobiles, which elements move, mingle, transform, and which unity resides in the force of attraction of the “monkisms” which cross them.

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Thelonious Monk – 35 Essentials of Thelonious Monk (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 7, 2023 · Comments off

“35 Essentials Of Thelonious Monk” is a collection recordings of John Coltrane compiles from the archives of Bibliothèque nationale de France…

The BnF’s audio collection, with over a million audio documents, is one of the oldest and most important ones in the world. Born in 1911 as the Archives de la parole (Archives of the spoken word), it was fortunate enough to be the recipient of donations from contemporary phonographic companies. In 1938, with the institution of legal deposit for phonograms, these contributions became systematic; to this very day, they constitute the collection’s main growth vector, forming a one-of-a-kind national heritage. This legal deposit is further complemented by donations and acquisitions.

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Thelonious Monk – The Classic Quartet (2006/2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · July 23, 2023 · Comments off

Rare and wonderful recording featuring the Monk Quartet (Charlie Rouse, Butch Warren and Frankie Dunlop). This is a must for jazz enthusists.

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Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane – Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane (1961/2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · June 26, 2023 · Comments off

Seldom does a “cash in” turn into a “classic,” but in the case of this 1961 album of outtakes and leftovers by Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane recorded four years prior, that’s exactly what happened. Monk and Coltrane only played together briefly, during the last half of 1957 when Monk’s quartet was in transition and Coltrane himself was juggling a busy solo recording schedule after being booted from Miles’ first great quintet due to his heroin addiction. While Coltrane may have been struggling a bit at the time, Monk was at the height of his powers; over the course of 1957 the pianist would record and release four albums, at least two of which—Monk’s Music and Brilliant Corners—are classics. Of those four, Coltrane was only featured prominently Monk’s Music (his playing on the otherwise solo Thelonious Himself was limited to a single cut), the only album for which they had an official recording session.

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Thelonious Monk – Mønk (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · April 22, 2020 · Comments off

Hot on the heels of Impulse’s recently unearthed Coltrane number one hit album comes another beauty from Jazz’s ‘Holy Trinity’. This is a previously unreleased, precious lost treasure from Monk’s most critically acclaimed line-up; Charlie Rouse on saxophone, John Ore on double bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. The music was recorded live in Copenhagen in 1963 at the peak of Monk’s career. A year later he was to feature on the cover of TIME magazine, one of only for 4 Jazz artists ever to do so.

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