Thelonious Monk - The Complete Blue Note Recordings

"From the 1947 sessions that lead off this set through to the 1958 live recordings at the Five Spot with John Coltrane, this box set chronicles the development of one of the most unique and creative American musicians. The first CD dates entirely from 1947, and on it we hear a Monk conversant in the bebop idiom, his distinct style emerging. By 1951 on the second CD we have a gorgeous version of "Ask Me Now," with all the delightful rhythmic hesitation that became one of his trademarks. "Reflections" on the third CD has Sonny Rollins caressing the melody in an almost languid tempo, followed by a classic version of "Misterioso," with J.J. Johnson and Horace Silver sharing the piano role. The Monk-Coltrane live cuts on the fourth CD are incandescent. All in all, a set that is both enlightening (with a number of alternate takes) in its scope and delightful in its sheer musicianship and creative spark." --Michael Monhart

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Kenny "Pancho" Hagood (vocals); Danny Quebec West, Sahib Shihab, Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone); Sonny Rollins, Lucky Thompson, John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Idrees Sulieman, George Taitt, Kenny Dorham (trumpet); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Horace Silver (piano); John Simmons, Gene Ramey, Al McKibbon, Paul Chambers, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, Bob Paige, Nelson Boyd (bass); Art Blakey, Max Roach, Shadow Wilson, Roy Haynes (drums).

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on April 14, 1957; live at the Five Spot, New York, New York on September 11, 1958; Apex Studios, New York, New York on July 2, 1948; WOR Studios, New York, New York between October 15, 1947 and May 30, 1952.

Added to Monk’s original Blue Note sessions (1947-52) are the two tracks he cut with Sonny Rollins in ’56 and the recently discovered live ’58 Five Spot recording with John Coltrane. The Five Spot session has been speed corrected, and the early dates have been de-clicked. Sidemen include Art Blakey, Milt Jackson, Lou Donaldson, Lucky Thompson and Sahib Shihab.

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John Coltrane - At Temple University 1966

Digitally remastered live archive release from the Jazz great containing one of Coltrane's last preserved live performances ever. Taped in Philadelphia with excellent sound quality, this set presents Coltrane playing probably the freest version of 'Naima', along with readings of two more of his compositions: 'Crescent' and a powerful version of 'Leo'. Coltrane died shortly after this performance at the age of 40 on July 17, 1967.

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After this set, taped on November 11, 1966, ‘Trane would record a number of sessions for Impulse (which would mostly be issued posthumously), and would be recorded privately at the Village Theatre in New York on December 26 (this performance is mentioned in discographies as circulating among collectors, but it has never been released; the audio quality is unknown), and finally at New York’s Olatunji Center, on April 23, 1967. The latter would prove to be his final live performance, which ‘Trane gave despite feeling extreme pain.

tracklist:
01. Naima (John Coltrane) 16:47
02. Crescent (John Coltrane) 26:15
03. Leo (John Coltrane) 20:43

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