Thelonious Monk

2LPs ON 1 CD

This release presents Thelonious Monk’s first two albums for the Riverside label, both of which were recorded in a trio format: "The Unique Thelonious Monk" (Riverside RLP 12-209), and "Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington" (Riverside RLP 12-201), which has been added as a bonus.

Both LPs are unusual in that they showcase Monk playing songs by other composers (a selection of varied standards in the case of the former record, and tunes by the great Duke Ellington in the case of the latter). Backing Monk are such brilliant musicians as Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Art Blakey or Kenny Clarke on drums.

PERSONNEL:

THELONIOUS MONK, piano
OSCAR PETTIFORD, bass
ART BLAKEY, drums
“Memories of You” is an unaccompanied piano performance.

Hackensack, New Jersey, March 17 & April 3, 1956.

[8-15] BONUS ALBUM: THELONIOUS MONK PLAYS DUKE ELLINGTON

THELONIOUS MONK, piano
OSCAR PETTIFORD, bass
KENNY CLARKE, drums
“Solitude” is an unaccompanied piano performance.

Hackensack, New Jersey, July 21 & 27, 1955.

INCLUDES 16-PAGE BOOKLET

TRACKS:

01 LIZA (ALL THE CLOUDS’LL ROLL AWAY)
02 MEMORIES OF YOU
03 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE
04 DARN THAT DREAM
05 TEA FOR TWO
06 YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL
07 JUST YOU, JUST ME
08 IT DON’T MEAN A THING(IF IT AIN’T GOT THAT SWING) (*)
09 SOPHISTICATED LADY (*)
10 I GOT IT BAD (AND THAT AIN’T GOOD) (*)
11 BLACK AND TAN FANTASY (*)
12 MOOD INDIGO (*)
13 I LET A SONG GO OUT OF MY HEART (*)
14 SOLITUDE (*)
15 CARAVAN (*)

TOTAL TIME: 76:27 Min.