What are your 3 favorite Monk Cd's?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Stateless, Jan 27, 2003.

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  1. Stateless

    Stateless New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    It's almost impossible to narrow it down to 3, but here are mine.

    Thelonious In Action-Live at the 5 Spot with Johnny Griffin. Just a great performance, and the atmosphere is fantastic. I love Blue Monk & Light blue in particular. Misterioso is great album as well. I believe it was recorded on or around the same night as TIA. It's basically part 2 of TIA.

    Monk's Dream-1st Columbia album I believe, and the new reissue sounds great. A feel good record. I almost picked Straight, No Chaser. It's basically a coin toss...

    Thelonious Himself-Solo Monk. You can almost imagine sitting in a late night club with only a few stragglers left listening to just Monk & his piano. The 'Round Midnight in progress is a cool bonus. Great music to fall asleep to.

    Can you pick just 3?
     
  2. MagicAlex

    MagicAlex Gort Emeritus

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Johnny Griffin's pretty darn good at that! I have most of his Riverside output and love just about any of them.

    As far as three Monk favs...it is a hard one but here goes a quick try in order:

    Misterioso
    Underground
    Straight, No Chaser
     
  3. Matt

    Matt New Member

    Location:
    Illinois
    Alone In San Francisco
    Brilliant Corners
    Monk's Music
     
  4. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane
    Underground
    The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
     
  5. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR
    Criss Cross
    Straight, No Chaser
    Monk In Tokyo
     
  6. jroyen

    jroyen Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Monk's Dream
    Criss-Cross
    Straight, No Chaser
     
  7. Irwin Mainway

    Irwin Mainway Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    1. Big Band and Quartet In Concert (Columbia)

    2. Tie - Monk's Music (Riverside) and Brilliant Corners (Riverside)

    3. Straight, No Chaser (Columbia) The LP, not the soundtrack.

    I hate to leave the Blue Notes out!
     
  8. Taxman

    Taxman Senior Member

    Location:
    Fayetteville, NY
    Monks' Music
    Live At The It Club
    Straight, No Chaser (not the soundtrack)

    ... but it is hard to pick three. I like Brilliant Corners and Misterioso a lot too. And the one that absolutely hooked me in the first place is the Ken Burns collection. I don't have either of the RVG releases from the early days of his career though they are way highly regarded. Anyone want to include these in the top three?

    Mike
     
  9. lschwart

    lschwart Senior Member

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    In no particular order:

    Criss Cross
    Monk's Music
    5 by Monk by 5

    CC was my first Jazz album, and I still think that the versions of "Hackensack" and "Rhythm-a-ning" are the best he ever recorded. All hail to Charlie Rouse. I think it's the best of the Columbia years. Monk's Music for the tenors. 5x5 for the Thad Jones' unbelievable trumpet solo on "Straight, no Chaser."

    L.
     
  10. Paul C.

    Paul C. Senior Member

    Location:
    Australia
    My votes:

    Monk's Dream
    Plays Duke Ellington (Riverside)
    Alone in San Francisco
     
  11. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR

    I couldn't agree with you more Louis. "Criss Cross" was one of the first jazz albums that I ever came in contact with. I love the tracks you mentioned and his take on "Tea For Two" and of course "Crepuscule With Nellie". The unreleased take of "Pannonica" on the CD reissue is a great bonus also.
     
  12. ATR

    ATR Senior Member

    Location:
    Baystate
    Genius of Modern Music on Blue Note, Vols I and II, and Live at the It Club Complete. Mosaic did the Blue Notes, I don't know how many discs they used or whether they're still in print. The Complete Riverside is 16 CD's so I guess that's too many. Monk's Dream is also quite good, but I like the live set even better.
     
  13. Arthur

    Arthur Forum Resident

    Location:
    Snohomish Wa.
    My favorites-
    Brilliant corners.
    5 by Monk by 5.
    Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane.
     
  14. Stateless

    Stateless New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    The It Club is great, and the CD's are packed. I believe they are both over 75 min. each. Monk in Tokyo is great as well but you could almost fit both cd's on an 80 min cdr. I wish they added some alternates or something on there. The sound quality is excellent though. Amazing for the time.
     
  15. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    Just 3? That's like asking to pick your three favorite fingers. But here I go:

    MONK ALONE. All his Columbia solos, in jaw-dropping sound.
    BRILLIANT CORNERS. A safe pick but slays me every time.
    UNDERGROUND. Almost-last gasp of a genius. PLEASE remaster this, someone!
     
  16. MagicAlex

    MagicAlex Gort Emeritus

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Yoohoo! S&P, Audio Fidelity, MFSL - SACD please!
     
  17. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    Thelonious Monk Trio (1954)
    Monk's Music
    Brilliant Corners
     
  18. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane
    Brilliant Corners
    Sonny Rollins & Thelonious Monk
     
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