{"title":"Thelonious Monk","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"188\" data-end=\"798\"\u003eThelonious Monk was a pianist and composer whose unique style made him one of jazz’s most original voices. With angular melodies, dissonant harmonies and a percussive touch at the piano, he created music that was instantly recognisable and deeply influential. Classics like \u003cem data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"481\"\u003eBrilliant Corners\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"483\" data-end=\"497\"\u003eMonk’s Dream\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem data-start=\"502\" data-end=\"523\"\u003eStraight, No Chaser\u003c\/em\u003e remain essential for any collection, while his compositions — including “Round Midnight” and “Blue Monk” — have become jazz standards. Explore our curated selection of Thelonious Monk vinyl — rare pressings, timeless reissues and essential albums that showcase his genius.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-brilliant-corners","title":"Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (2025 Ermitage Reissue LP Coloured Vinyl)","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"196\" data-end=\"641\"\u003eReleased in 1957 on Riverside, \u003cem data-start=\"227\" data-end=\"246\"\u003eBrilliant Corners\u003c\/em\u003e is one of \u003cstrong data-start=\"257\" data-end=\"278\"\u003eThelonious Monk’s\u003c\/strong\u003e most important albums — a daring, inventive session that pushed the boundaries of modern jazz composition. With a stellar lineup featuring \u003cstrong data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"435\"\u003eSonny Rollins\u003c\/strong\u003e (tenor sax), \u003cstrong data-start=\"449\" data-end=\"464\"\u003eErnie Henry\u003c\/strong\u003e (alto sax), \u003cstrong data-start=\"477\" data-end=\"496\"\u003eOscar Pettiford\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass), \u003cstrong data-start=\"505\" data-end=\"518\"\u003eMax Roach\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums), and guest appearances from \u003cstrong data-start=\"555\" data-end=\"572\"\u003ePaul Chambers\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong data-start=\"577\" data-end=\"592\"\u003eClark Terry\u003c\/strong\u003e, the album captures Monk at his most creative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"643\" data-end=\"908\"\u003eThe title track’s jagged rhythms and unusual structure set the tone, while pieces like \u003cem data-start=\"730\" data-end=\"741\"\u003ePannonica\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem data-start=\"746\" data-end=\"760\"\u003eBemsha Swing\u003c\/em\u003e reveal Monk’s lyrical side. Max Roach’s timpani on \u003cem data-start=\"812\" data-end=\"826\"\u003eBemsha Swing\u003c\/em\u003e and Rollins’s bold improvisations make the record a true collaborative triumph.\u003cstrong data-start=\"910\" data-end=\"931\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1041\" data-end=\"1188\"\u003eInnovative, challenging, and deeply rewarding, \u003cem data-start=\"1088\" data-end=\"1107\"\u003eBrilliant Corners\u003c\/em\u003e is a landmark in jazz history and an essential part of any serious collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ermitage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42461972135995,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/test_8ad30ff0_thumbnail_4096.webp?v=1757934032"},{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-thelonious-himself-2025-craft-recordings-180g-mono-vinyl-lp","title":"Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Himself (2025 Craft Recordings 180g Mono Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most intimate and revealing recordings in Thelonious Monk's discography, \u003cem\u003eThelonious Himself\u003c\/em\u003e presents the legendary pianist entirely solo across eight performances that showcase his unique harmonic vision, rhythmic genius, and deeply personal approach to melody. Recorded in New York on 12 and 16 April 1957 at Reeves Sound Studios, this album strips away any accompaniment to reveal Monk's pianistic essence in its purest form. This 2025 Craft Recordings reissue, part of the Original Jazz Classics and Riverside Contemporary Series, offers audiophile quality through Kevin Gray's all-analogue mastering, Record Technology Incorporated's 180-gram pressing, and premium packaging including an obi strip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album opens with \"April In Paris\", and immediately Monk's utterly distinctive approach is evident. His angular phrasing, unexpected harmonic substitutions, and deliberate use of space transform this standard into something simultaneously familiar and strange. Monk's touch, often described as percussive, creates a distinctive tone and attack that's instantly recognisable. His time feel, seemingly hesitant yet perfectly intentional, creates tension and release unlike any other pianist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ghost Of A Chance\" receives a tender reading that reveals Monk's gift for melodic interpretation beneath his reputation for harmonic complexity. \"Functional\", a Monk original, demonstrates his compositional approach: deceptively simple melodies that contain sophisticated harmonic implications. \"I'm Getting Sentimental Over You\" swings with Monk's characteristic rhythmic displacement, his left hand creating unexpected accents and spaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSide two opens with \"I Should Care\", another standard transformed through Monk's harmonic reimagining and rhythmic approach. The album's centerpiece, \"'Round Midnight\", is Monk's most famous composition, and hearing him perform it solo reveals details often obscured in ensemble versions. His rubato approach, the way he lingers on certain notes while rushing through others, creates a performance that feels both studied and spontaneous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"All Alone\" showcases Monk's ability to find the blues in unlikely material, while the album closes with \"Monk's Mood\", an original that perfectly captures his melancholic yet hopeful spirit. Throughout these solo performances, what becomes clear is Monk's complete originality - his approach to the piano, to harmony, to rhythm, to melody, is entirely his own, fully formed and uncompromising.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Craft Recordings reissue represents the current state of the art in audiophile vinyl production. Kevin Gray, working at Cohearent Audio, has remastered and cut the lacquers using an all-analogue chain (AAA designation on the obi) from the original tapes. Record Technology Incorporated in Camarillo, California, universally regarded as America's finest pressing plant, has pressed this on 180-gram virgin vinyl. Stoughton Printing Co. has produced the packaging, maintaining the original Paul Bacon cover design and Paul Weller photography while adding contemporary quality standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe package includes the original liner notes by producer Orrin Keepnews and, remarkably, liner notes by John Coltrane. Coltrane and Monk had a profound musical relationship, with Coltrane learning from Monk during their 1957 collaboration. Coltrane's insights into Monk's genius add invaluable perspective from a fellow master.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Craft Recordings","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43076403363899,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/thelonioushimselffront.webp?v=1765761591"},{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-septet-monks-music-1977-japanese-riverside-stereo-lp","title":"Thelonious Monk Septet - Monk's Music (1977 Japanese Riverside Stereo LP)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThelonious Monk Septet - \u003cem\u003eMonk's Music\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVinyl LP - 1977 Japanese Riverside Contemporary Series Stereo Reissue with Insert\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThelonious Monk's June 1957 septet session brings together an extraordinary lineup including tenor saxophonists John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins, alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce, trumpeter Ray Copeland, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Art Blakey. Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios and produced by Bill Grauer, the album showcases Monk's compositions performed by a larger ensemble than his usual trio or quartet format, the septet arrangement allowing fuller voicing of his angular melodies and unusual harmonies. The session's historic significance lies partly in capturing Coltrane just before his legendary collaboration with Monk at the Five Spot, their musical relationship already evident here. Released in Japan in 1977 as part of Riverside's Contemporary and Original Recording Series, this Victor Musical Industries pressing includes Japanese liner notes insert.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album opens with \"Abide With Me\", a gospel hymn arranged by Monk, before moving into five Monk originals. \"Well, You Needn't\" features the full septet navigating Monk's typically unpredictable melody, while \"Ruby, My Dear\" showcases the tenderness within his compositions. The pairing of Coltrane and Hawkins—representing different generations and approaches to tenor saxophone—creates fascinating contrasts, Hawkins' swing-era warmth meeting Coltrane's searching, intense modernism. Monk's piano solo on \"Ruby, My Dear\" demonstrates his unique approach: percussive attack, unexpected note choices, and rhythmic displacement that sounds both wrong and absolutely right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Off Minor\", \"Epistrophy\", and \"Crepuscule With Nellie\" (the latter a solo piano piece dedicated to Monk's wife) complete the programme, each composition bearing Monk's unmistakable stamp. Art Blakey's drumming provides both propulsion and conversation, Wilbur Ware's bass work adds melodic invention, and the horn arrangements allow Monk's melodies to be heard with unusual clarity. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riverside","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43183867527227,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_5912.jpg?v=1769820778"},{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-thelonious-himself-1984-japanese-riverside-mono-lp","title":"Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Himself (1984 Japanese Riverside Mono LP)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e: NM\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e: NM\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThelonious Monk - \u003cem\u003eThelonious Himself\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVinyl LP - 1984 Japanese Riverside Jazz Golden 50 Series Mono Reissue\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThelonious Monk's solo piano album from April 1957 showcases his idiosyncratic approach stripped to essentials, no rhythm section to cushion his angular melodic choices, unexpected harmonic substitutions, and rhythmic displacement. Recorded in New York over two sessions (12 and 16 April) and produced by Orrin Keepnews, the eight tracks include Monk's definitive solo interpretation of his most famous composition \"'Round Midnight\" alongside standards transformed through his unique vision. Released in Japan in 1984 as part of Riverside's Jazz Golden 50 series and manufactured by Victor Musical Industries, this mono pressing captures Monk's piano in intimate detail, every percussive attack and unexpected pause revealing his compositional thinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe standards receive Monk's characteristic treatment: familiar melodies emerge through unexpected note choices, his sense of time stretching and compressing phrases in ways that sound wrong until they suddenly sound completely right. \"April In Paris\" and \"Ghost Of A Chance\" demonstrate how Monk could make beautiful songs sound simultaneously tender and angular, his chord voicings including dissonances that conventional pianists would avoid. His originals \"Functional\" and \"Monk's Mood\" showcase his compositional voice fully, the latter a blues that abandons conventional blues clichés for something more mysterious and personal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe solo format reveals Monk's approach to piano as percussion instrument, his touch ranging from delicate to hammer-like, creating rhythmic patterns that feel both swinging and deliberately off-balance. His use of space is as important as the notes played, silences creating tension that makes subsequent phrases more impactful.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riverside","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43186591629371,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_5964.jpg?v=1769927730"},{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-plays-duke-ellington-1974-japanese-milestone-mono-lp","title":"Thelonious Monk - Plays Duke Ellington (1974 Japanese Milestone Mono LP)","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"1061\" data-end=\"1214\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: EX\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: EX\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThelonious Monk - \u003cem\u003ePlays Duke Ellington\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 1974 Japanese Milestone Riverside Original Recording Series Mono Reissue (SMJ-6039M)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMonk's debut as a leader for Riverside Records\u003c\/strong\u003e, recorded across two sessions on 21 and 27 July 1955 at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack: eight Ellington compositions reinterpreted by one of the most individual pianists in jazz history, with Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by Orrin Keepnews\u003c\/strong\u003e as a deliberate strategy to bring Monk to a broader audience, the album that began his rehabilitation from cult figure to recognised major artist, paving the way for \u003cem\u003eBrilliant Corners\u003c\/em\u003e (1956) and the \u003cem\u003eMonk's Music\u003c\/em\u003e sessions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\"Solitude\" performed as an unaccompanied piano solo\u003c\/strong\u003e, the one moment on the record where Monk is entirely alone with the material\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1955 Thelonious Monk had been a central figure in the development of bebop for over a decade, had recorded for Blue Note and Prestige, and was widely admired by his peers. He was also commercially marginal, his records selling poorly and his music routinely described by critics as too difficult and too eccentric for general audiences. When Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer at Riverside acquired Monk's Prestige contract for around $108, Keepnews proposed a calculated intervention: Monk would record an entire album of Duke Ellington compositions, music already familiar to listeners, giving them a way into his playing without confronting his originals. Monk, who had retired briefly with a stack of Ellington sheet music before declaring himself ready for the sessions, was a willing collaborator. The result was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack across two sessions on 21 and 27 July 1955, with Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, both musicians of the first order. Clarke had been part of the house band at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem in the early 1940s alongside Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker at the precise moment bebop was being invented. Pettiford, one of the most technically accomplished bassists of the era, had been a central figure in bebop since the mid-1940s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album opens with \"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)\" and works through eight Ellington compositions, all of them well known enough to serve Keepnews' strategy but none of them diminished by Monk's treatment. His angularity, his use of silence and unexpected accent, the rhythmic commentary built into his left hand, are present throughout, and the trio plays with the kind of self-contained confidence that comes from musicians who know each other's language. \"Black and Tan Fantasy\", co-written by Ellington and Bubber Miley, is treated as a funky blues. \"Caravan\", co-written with Juan Tizol, becomes a showcase for the rhythm section. \"Solitude\" is played entirely alone: Monk dismisses Pettiford and Clarke and plays it unaccompanied, the only such moment on the record, moving slowly into rubato at the end. The album was first issued in December 1955 as \"Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington\" (Riverside RLP 12-201); the 1958 reissue shortened the title and replaced the original cover photography with Henri Rousseau's \"The Repast of the Lion\", the version most commonly reproduced. This mono pressing is part of Victor Musical Industries' Riverside Original Recording Series, released in Japan in 1974 as Milestone SMJ-6039M.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Milestone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43260949692475,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_6341.jpg?v=1772830876"},{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-brilliant-corners-1976-japanese-riverside-smj-6136m-mono-lp","title":"Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (1976 Japanese Riverside SMJ-6136(M) Mono LP)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eEX\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThelonious Monk - \u003cem\u003eBrilliant Corners\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 1976 Japanese Riverside Mono Reissue (SMJ-6136(M), Victor Musical Industries, Inc.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrrin Keepnews had spent Monk's first two Riverside albums easing him toward a general audience — one record of Ellington compositions, one of standards. The third album would be Monk's own material, played by a larger group. For the sessions in October and December 1956 at Reeves Sound Studios, Monk assembled Sonny Rollins on tenor, Ernie Henry on alto, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Max Roach on drums. They recorded \"Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are\" and \"Pannonica\" on October 9 — both named for Monk's friend and patron, Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter, who resided at the Bolivar Hotel in Manhattan. \"Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are\" is Monk's phonetic rendering of his own pronunciation of \"Blue Bolivar Blues.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title track nearly broke the sessions. On October 15, the same quintet attempted \"Brilliant Corners\" for four hours over twenty-five takes. The composition's unusual 22-bar structure — an eight-bar A section, seven-bar B section and modified seven-bar A — with shifting tempos had only been fully absorbed by Rollins. Pettiford became so frustrated he reportedly pretended to play on at least one take. Keepnews edited the final master from multiple takes. By December 7, Henry and Pettiford had gone — Henry to Dizzy Gillespie's band, Pettiford refusing to return. Clark Terry replaced Henry on trumpet, Paul Chambers took the bass chair, and Roach added timpani alongside his drums. \"Bemsha Swing,\" a piece Monk had co-written with drummer Denzil Best years earlier, was recorded at that session; so was a solo piano reading of \"I Surrender, Dear,\" the Harry Barris and Gordon Clifford standard from 1931.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 1976 Japanese Riverside mono pressing (SMJ-6136(M)) is part of Victor Musical Industries' Jazztime Now!! series and includes Japanese liner notes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riverside","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43433087467579,"sku":null,"price":100.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_6570.jpg?v=1776640427"},{"product_id":"the-thelonious-monk-quartet-misterioso-1962-japanese-riverside-vinyl-lp","title":"The Thelonious Monk Quartet - Misterioso (1962 Japanese Riverside Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e: VG+ (sleeve has a hole punch)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Thelonious Monk Quartet - \u003cem\u003eMisterioso\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 1962 Japanese Riverside Records Stereo (SR-7031, JVC)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Five Spot was a cramped bar in the Bowery with no proper stage, sawdust on the floor, and an old upright piano pushed against the wall. Monk had played his first residency there in 1957 with John Coltrane on tenor, the engagement that pulled his career back from years of enforced silence after losing his New York cabaret card. By the summer of 1958 he was back with a new quartet, and Johnny Griffin was the man on the horn. On \"In Walked Bud\" he runs through Monk's melody at speed, then keeps accelerating through an 11-minute solo that quotes from everywhere and lands on its feet every time. \"Blues Five Spot,\" named for the room, gives Monk space to comp in that percussive, angled way that left other pianists wondering which beats he was hearing. \"Let's Cool One\" stretches past nine minutes with Griffin and Monk trading the kind of exchanges where neither player sounds like they're following the other, and yet it all locks together. Between the quartet tracks, Monk plays \"Just A Gigolo\" alone at the piano for two minutes, the only ballad and the only non-original on the album, spare enough to hear the room around him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was the second of Monk's two 1958 Five Spot albums (alongside \u003cem\u003eThelonious in Action\u003c\/em\u003e), both recorded on the same August night and both produced by Orrin Keepnews for Riverside. Ray Fowler engineered what was, by club recording standards of the period, a clean and present capture. Ahmed Abdul-Malik (a Brooklyn-born bassist of Sudanese descent who also played oud and would soon record his own albums blending jazz with North African music) holds the bottom with a steady, unshowy pulse, and Roy Haynes drives the tempos with the crisp, reactive drumming that had already made him a first-call player for Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Stan Getz. This is a 1962 Japanese stereo pressing on Riverside SR-7031, with a flipback cover, manufactured by Victor Company of Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riverside","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43684901814331,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_7367.jpg?v=1781869865"}],"url":"https:\/\/lushliferecords.com.au\/collections\/thelonious-monk.oembed","provider":"Lush Life Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}