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Post by nicknick on Oct 13, 2017 20:23:37 GMT
Last Tuesday I was in the sky somewhere between LAX and SVO, and when I came back to earth I was a bit puzzled that nobody noted here such an important event. Well, better late than never. I try to collect as much Monk's records as I can, and I never get tired of listening to them. I think my favorite Monk's LP ever is Solo Monk (Columbia, 1965).
 
 
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Post by sztiv on Oct 14, 2017 9:05:38 GMT
LA to Moscow - out of the frying pan and into the fire! Yes it was surprising that nobody here wished the crazy man a very happy 100th birthday but you remembered so that's ok. I was reading an article in the New Yorker and a blog post about Monk written by Ethan Iverson yesterday. ethaniverson.com/judge-not-lest-ye-be-not-judged/Is it possible to own too much of Monk's music? I doubt it. My own collection is rather small which is a good thing as I still have lots to discover. Having read these pieces by Iverson I played my copies of "Big Band & Quartet in Concert" and "Something in Blue" which Iverson is right to say was recorded in a peculiar and different way which he describes as English but which I hadn't noticed before. Similarly I hadn't heard how weak the bass playing is on this recording. A duo of Blakey and Monk would have been quite sufficient. All of which encouraged me to make two new acquisitions. A 1960 UK Esquire EP with Max Roach & Gary Mapp and Sonorities by Orchestra U.S.A. 3rd stream arranged by John Lewis and with a piece composed by Hall Overton. Both were very cheap. I don't know any of the LPs you posted although I suspect that Solo Monk might be one of Alun's favourites. Fantastic art work but tell me a little bit about the music please. |
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Post by nicknick on Oct 14, 2017 9:36:55 GMT
I don't know any of the LPs you posted although I suspect that Solo Monk might be one of Alun's favourites. Fantastic art work but tell me a little bit about the music please. The Columbia twofer ( Who's Afraid of the Big Band Monk?) is just a 1974 reissue of two big band recordings mentioned by Ethan Iverson: a 1963 live recording with arrangements by Hall Overton and a 1968 studio recording with arrangments by Oliver Nelson - the original was released as Thelonious Sphere Monk - Monk's Blues (Columbia, 1969). So you've probably got them both in their original versions. Monk in Action is a quite well-known live recording of 1958 (at the Five Spot) released by Riverside but with a different cover. RLP 9682, I don't know year of the reissue. Johnny Griffin plays tenor saxophone here. Monk is a live recording of May 1961 (Stockholm) released by mysterious Italian label Duke. I have the complete version of the Stockholm concert on Dragon's twofer Thelonious Monk Quartet Live in Stockholm 1961 released in 1987. |
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Post by alunsevern on Oct 14, 2017 9:47:12 GMT
Nick, thanks for try reminder about Monk's centenary. I shall mark it later this morning -- with, as sztiv quite correctly noted, solo Monk. Sztiv, what did iverson or whoever mean in saying that SOMETHING IN BLUE is recorded in an English fashion? The CD reissues of the Black Lion sets do improve the sound balance to some degree, if I remember correctly. I have both the vinyl and the CDs but only ever think to play the LPs.
A bit later:
Not solo Monk as I anticipated but a record I turn to time and again for its cheery somewhat lighthearted beauty -- TM Plays Duke Ellington.
i think this is such a lovely record and it never fails to lift my mood. I have long thought that there is nothing quite as pleasurable as hearing Monk play music he loves when he is obviously in a good mood... This copy is an old Interdisc Riverside, obviously well played but also well cared for over its many years...
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Post by nicknick on Oct 14, 2017 10:32:08 GMT
Ethan Iverson is a very good pianist and good writer but his treatment with Monk's vinyl records cannot be deemed as acceptable. 
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kev
New Member
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Post by kev on Oct 14, 2017 11:06:02 GMT
I went to a pre-Monk Centenary event at Birmingaham City University (strangely, the neighbouring Aston University is not called Aston Villa University). This was held in June and offered an opportunity to hear Robin DG Kelley (author of the superb 'TM: The Life and Times of An American Original'). If the opportunity arises for you to attend a talk by Kelley, grab it. In Birmingham he played some extracts from TM's personal home recordings, which are in the possession of TM's family and unreleased. He was also kind enough to sign my copy of his book. Attachment DeletedFurther details of the BCU Jazz course can be found here: www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/bmus-honours-jazz-2018-19 They have also just opened a performance venue which hosts regular jazz events. |
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Post by sztiv on Oct 14, 2017 12:41:38 GMT
Sztiv, what did iverson or whoever mean in saying that SOMETHING IN BLUE is recorded in an English fashion? The CD reissues of the Black Lion sets do improve the sound balance to some degree, if I remember correctly. I have both the vinyl and the CDs but only ever think to play the LPs. A bit later: Not solo Monk as I anticipated but a record I turn to time and again for its cheery somewhat lighthearted beauty -- TM Plays Duke Ellington. Plays Duke Ellington was, along with Something in Blue, the first Monk record I ever heard. I lived in a run down council flat in Hulme in Manchester as a student and my flat mate had a copy. We had a break in and one of the only things that the burglar took was his copy of Plays Duke Ellington. |
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Post by alunsevern on Oct 14, 2017 12:54:14 GMT
Sztiv, I'm not sure I hear a 'glossy' sound in Alan Bates' 1971 recordings of Monk -- just better early-70s technology, perhaps, bearing in mind that these were Monk's latest and last studio recordings. Anyway, they are by and standards -- including Monk's own -- marvellous records. Nick -- but I suppose iverson' approach at least has the merit of enabling hi to find all his Monk stuff together in one place....  |
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Post by sztiv on Oct 14, 2017 13:11:54 GMT
Speaking of Monk, I must thank you once again Alun for recommending Anthony Braxton's Six Monk's Compositions (1987) and you're absolutely right about the quality of these Black Saint / Soul Note records - they all sound consistently great.
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Post by gregorythefish on Oct 14, 2017 17:43:36 GMT
the fact that the earth has gone around the sun a large and round number of times since the birth of monk isn't really interesting to me, but it is always a good reminder to listen to the man. i am working on my monk collection. i have some rare and some not so rare, and i love them all dearly. always good to remember and listen to monk.
nicknick, that picture of all of that shit stacked on those records makes me cringe!
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Post by nicknick on Oct 14, 2017 18:56:25 GMT
Ethan Iverson: There is no single “greatest Monk album,” but if I had to pick just one for that desert island I’d grab what became the 12-inch LP Trio with Gary Mapp and either Max Roach or Art Blakey in late 1952 and “Blue Monk” with Percy Heath and Blakey from 1954. Sometimes the piano is really out of tune but that tintinnabulation works just fine for the High Priest, who deals like a motherfucker on some of his best compositions plus darkly stomping/striding “Sweet and Lovely,” “These Foolish Things” in clanging seconds and the first of many profound ruminations on “Just a Gigolo.” Percy Heath turns the time around in his bass solo on “Blue Monk.” (It’s a great solo otherwise, Tootie Heath told me that Charles Mingus told Percy, “I wish I could play the blues like you.”) Monk ignores the mistake, keeps counting accurately, and wrong-foots the rhythm section on the head out. A small detail that says something about something but I have no idea what. Max Roach on “Bemsha Swing” is impossibly great: Among other details, he bangs a top cymbal exactly once. But who is playing out-of-tempo claves on “Bye-ya?” Gary Mapp is on no other recordings. Apparently he was a policeman first and bassist second, and occasionally you can tell from his exceptionally wrong notes. But, warts and all, the final product is simply transcendent. It’s probably not just my favorite Monk album; it might simply be my favorite album, period.
My vinyl copy of the album is the German reissue of 1968 - Prestige/MPS PR 7508. Quite unusual cover for original LP was designed by Gil Melle.
 
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Post by nicknick on Oct 14, 2017 19:35:34 GMT
I went to a pre-Monk Centenary event at Birmingaham City University (strangely, the neighbouring Aston University is not called Aston Villa University). This was held in June and offered an opportunity to hear Robin DG Kelley (author of the superb 'TM: The Life and Times of An American Original'). If the opportunity arises for you to attend a talk by Kelley, grab it. In Birmingham he played some extracts from TM's personal home recordings, which are in the possession of TM's family and unreleased. He was also kind enough to sign my copy of his book. Further details of the BCU Jazz course can be found here: www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/bmus-honours-jazz-2018-19 They have also just opened a performance venue which hosts regular jazz events. My copy is not yet signed Kevin  but I keep hoping. My only consolation is that the book continues to attract attention of more and more people (and even dogs ).
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Post by sztiv on Oct 14, 2017 20:25:22 GMT
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Post by alunsevern on Oct 15, 2017 10:41:03 GMT
Speaking of Monk, I must thank you once again Alun for recommending Anthony Braxton's Six Monk's Compositions (1987) and you're absolutely right about the quality of these Black Saint / Soul Note records - they all sound consistently great. Another timely reminder, sztiv, to play Braxton's take on Monk. I'm glad you like it. Perhaps I'll get round to it myself late on today... |
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Post by alunsevern on Oct 19, 2017 8:47:38 GMT
<....>probably not just my favorite Monk album; it might simply be my favorite album, period.
Yet again I am indebted to this forum for reminding me about records I had forgotten I had. I think I have had - or may still have - the Monk trio recordings in at least four versions. ON CD in the version Nick posted on the right; on an old 1970s Presrige two-fer, the title of which I forget; in a more recent CD remastering on CD called, i think, The Complete Trio Recordings 1951-54. And also - forgotten until Nick posted his copy - the LP version on the left. the old Prestige two-fer had the poorest sound, I thought, and it was this that set me hunting for a better version. Either of the CD versions will serve but I found the sound a bit too 'modern' - too loud, a touch overdone. and so this morning I dug out HIGH PRIEST, which I recalled as being no better than the old Prestige but again memory has played me false. The sound - for its period and of the type of recording - seems just what you might want, and the electronic rechannelling for stereo seems minimal. Oddly my copy lacks label printing on side two. i have never heard the UK Esquire version although I did almost buy a copy last year until warned off by the (very helpful) dealer who told me the pressing was noisier than I was likely to be willing to put up with. Now that's what I call customer service! |
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but I keep hoping. My only consolation is that the book continues to attract attention of more and more people (and even dogs