Straight, No Chaser

Artist: Thelonious Monk

Number of Discs: 1

Total time: 75:56
Label: Columbia
Availability: In stock
Item #: 5168250

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Review

This is the sixth studio album cut by Thelonious Monk under the production/direction of Teo Macero for Columbia and as such should not be confused with the original motion picture soundtrack to the 1988 film of the same name. The original disc only included six performances, half of which were edited due to the stringent time constraints of vinyl. The 1996 CD not only restores all of the previously abridged performances, but also adds a trio of sides, two of which ("I Didn't Know About You: Take 1" and "Green Chimneys") are issued here for the first time. The band featured here includes: Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Ben Riley (drums), and Larry Gales (bass). This would be the final quartet Monk would assemble to record with in the studio. While far from being somber, this unit retained a mature flavor which would likewise place Monk's solos in a completely new context. At times, this adaptation presents itself more subtly than others. For instance, Monk's extended solo in "Locomotive" never reaches beyond itself due in part to the tempo-laden rhythm section. The contrast of styles, however, appreciates the caliber of this particular solo, including an obvious assertion by Monk which leads the band, albeit temporarily, into playing double-time. Other recommended quartet selections on this disc include a liberated version of the title track, which not only highlights some stellar interaction between Monk and Rouse, but is heard on the CD reissue in its original performance length. The same can be said for "We See," which now includes nearly three missing minutes and features the hardest bop on the album. In addition to the quartet sides, Straight, No Chaser contains two unaccompanied piano solos: "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "This Is My Story, This Is My Song." ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

In the 1960s, pianist-composer Thelonious Monk found his greatest fame, even appearing on the cover of Time Magazine in 1964. While his music had formerly been considered quite forbidding when it debuted in the 1940s, two decades later the world was finally able to appreciate his unique and witty playing and writing.

The original Straight, No Chaser release was a generous 51-minute LP. However, this CD reissue expands the program to 76 minutes with the discovery of two previously unknown performances and the release of three formerly edited performances that have been restored to their full length. At the time, Monk's quartet included the reliable and underrated tenor-saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley. This continually intriguing set has the quartet exploring four Monk originals (Locomotive, a lengthy Straight, No Chaser, We See and Green Chimneys), plus two versions of Duke Ellington's I Didn't Know About You and one apiece of Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, a very brief This Is My Story, This Is My Song and a 16-1/2 minute version of Japanese Folk Song which recently was discovered to be a Japanese pop tune of the 1930s called Kojo No Tsuki.

Thelonious Monk fans and those wanting to explore his music are both advised to acquire this excellent release.

—Scott Yanow

Extended Article

Thelonious Monk's fruitful tenure at Columbia Records resulted in several classic recordings, and coincided with having his portrait on the cover of Time Magazine-a distinction bestowed on only five jazz artists.

Straight, No Chaser is undeniably one of those classics, and finds Monk in the good company of his long-time companions Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales and Ben Riley.

For this CD reissue, producer Orrin Keepnews has added approximately 25 minutes of never-before-heard Monk, meticulously re-editing lost portions of issued titles, while discovering two complete previously unreleased performances.

Here, at last, is the definitive and complete Straight, No Chaser.

Locomotive; I Didn't Know About You; Straight, No Chaser; Japanese Folk Song (Kojo No Tsuki); Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea; We See; This Is My Story, This Is My Song; I Didn't Know About You (Take 1); Green Chimneys.

Thelonious Monk, Piano; Charlie Rouse, Tenor Sax; Larry Gales, Bass; Ben Riley, Drums.

Tracks + Soundclips

Straight, No Chaser
	1. Locomotive	6:40
	2. I Didn't Know About You [Take 4]	6:52
	3. Straight, No Chaser	11:28
	4. Japanese Folk Song (Kojo No Tsuki)	16:42
	5. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea	7:36
	6. We See	11:37
	7. This Is My Story, This Is My Song	1:42
	8. I Didn't Know About You [Take 1][#][*]	6:49
	9. Green Chimneys [#][*]	6:34

Details and Credits

Product Details

Label: Columbia
Release date: 1967
Soundtrack, Instrumental, Enhanced CD-ROM

Styles

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Album Credits
Performance Credits
Ben Riley	Drums
Charlie Rouse	Sax (Tenor)
Larry "Lonnie" Gales	Bass
Larry Gales	Bass
Thelonious Monk	Piano

Technical Credits
Don Hunstein	Photography
Frank Laico	Engineer
Hope Chasin	Packaging Manager
Kevin Gore	Executive Producer
Laszlo Kubinyi	?
Lee Tanner	Photography
Mark Wilder	?
Orrin Keepnews	Liner Notes
Paula Wood	Art Direction
Seth Rothstein	Project Director
Steven Berkowitz	Executive Producer
Teo Macero	Producer