Monk Alone: The Complete Columbia Solo Studio Recordings: 1962-1968

Read About This Recording

Thelonious Sphere Monk is the pantheon of American composers and musical thinkers. And although his pianistic efforts, especially the early ones, were at times scorned by those who could not-or would not-acknowledge his brilliance, Monk's approach to the keyboard was every bit as individualistic as his name.

Prior to a productive six-year stay at Columbia Records that began in 1962, Monk (1917-82) had recorded thrice as a solo pianist. In 1954, he was unaccompanied in Paris, three years later he was by himself in New York, follwed by a 1959 date alone in San Francisco.

Monk's producer at Columbia, Teo Macero, was enthralled by his solo work. Continuing the practice established by Orrin Keepnews, who for years produced Monk albums for Riverside Records, Macero made sure that such widely acclaimed quartet LPs as Monk's Dream and Criss-Cross, were spiced with a solo track or two. In 1964, Columbia spotlighted Monk's solo piano for the first time on an entire recording.

These two discs contain his complete solo output for Columbia, nearly two-and-a-half hours filled with oblique harmonies, splintered runs, imperishable melodies (six of his own plus those of some of the leading popular composers), jabbing chords, delayed rhythms, allusions to the stride piano style that nurtured him as a youngster, bluesy interjections and sly humor. But the most significant aspect of this colection is that 14 of 37 performances are previously unreleased. Of course, Monk was continually reconceptualizing and reshaping his material, so that in those instances where there are multiple versions of a composition, each take provides an almost entirely new view.

Prepared for reissue by the aforementioned Orrin Keepnews, Monk Alone is additionally illuminated by new liner notes by Dick Katz, himself a respected jazz pianist and widely published commentator who has played and written about Monk's music. There is also an array of striking new photos from the recording sessions. But the real story here is the wealth of previously unissued selectons, making this-or a significant part of it-the first new album in years by the eternally unique Thelonious Monk.

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Body And Soul*; Just A Gigolo; Don't Blame Me*; Nice Work If You Can Get It; Memories Of You; I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams*; I Surrender, Dear; Sweet And Lovely*; Everything Happens To Me*; I Should Care; North Of The Sunset; These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You); I Hadn't Anyone Till You*; Dinah*; I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)*; Monk's Point; Ask Me Now*; Ruby, My Dear*; 'Round Midnight; Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea; This Is My Story, This Is My Song; Introspection*; Darn That Dream.

(*Includes alternate takes.)

Thelonious Monk, Piano.

CD Special Features

Jazz Masterpiece two-CD set

• Solo Monk — complete

• 14 previously unreleased tracks

• Produced by Orrin Keepnews

• Great new liner notes by pianist Dick Katz

• Stunning rare photos

• 20 bit digitally remastered