Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Himself (2025 Craft Recordings 180g Mono Vinyl LP)

One of the most intimate and revealing recordings in Thelonious Monk's discography, Thelonious Himself 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.

The 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.

"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.

Side 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.

"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.

This 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.

The 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.