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Volume 1 of the two-volume Genius of Modern Music set comprises the first sessions Thelonious Monk recorded as a leader, on October 15 and 24 and November 21 of 1947. It's impossible to overstate the importance of these sessions. They include some of the earliest recordings of Monk compositions that would become standards, despite their angularity and technical difficulty: the strange, sideways chord progression of "Thelonious"; the bouncy and cheerful but melodically cockeyed "Well, You Needn't"; the post-bop Bud Powell tribute "In Walked Bud"; and, of course, "'Round Midnight," which is now one of the most frequently recorded jazz compositions ever. There are kinks to be worked out: Art Blakey's drumming is fine, but he obviously hasn't quite taken the measure of Monk's compositional genius, and on the November session, alto saxophonist Sahib Shihab employs a fat, warbly tone that sounds out of place. But the excitement of discovery permeates every measure, and Monk himself is in top form, his solos jagged and strange, yet utterly beautiful. This first volume of Genius of Modern Music, along with the second, belongs in every jazz collection.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
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Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ike Quebec, Composer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Composer, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ike Quebec, Composer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ike Quebec, Composer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Composer, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ike Quebec, Composer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Billy Smith, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Idrees Sulieman, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Danny Quebec West, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records, a division of Capitol Records Inc.
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Edgar "Yip" Harburg, Author - Vernon Duke, Composer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Watkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Edgar "Yip" Harburg, Author - Vernon Duke, Composer - Gene Ramey, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sahib Shihab, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - George Taitt, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Paige, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sahib Shihab, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - George Taitt, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Paige, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sahib Shihab, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - George Taitt, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Paige, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Bernie Hanighen, Author - Cootie Williams, Composer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - George Taitt, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Paige, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Edmund Gregory, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1951 Blue Note Records
Thelonious Monk, Composer, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Hawkins, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sahib Shihab, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - George Taitt, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Paige, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 1998 Blue Note Records
Album review
Volume 1 of the two-volume Genius of Modern Music set comprises the first sessions Thelonious Monk recorded as a leader, on October 15 and 24 and November 21 of 1947. It's impossible to overstate the importance of these sessions. They include some of the earliest recordings of Monk compositions that would become standards, despite their angularity and technical difficulty: the strange, sideways chord progression of "Thelonious"; the bouncy and cheerful but melodically cockeyed "Well, You Needn't"; the post-bop Bud Powell tribute "In Walked Bud"; and, of course, "'Round Midnight," which is now one of the most frequently recorded jazz compositions ever. There are kinks to be worked out: Art Blakey's drumming is fine, but he obviously hasn't quite taken the measure of Monk's compositional genius, and on the November session, alto saxophonist Sahib Shihab employs a fat, warbly tone that sounds out of place. But the excitement of discovery permeates every measure, and Monk himself is in top form, his solos jagged and strange, yet utterly beautiful. This first volume of Genius of Modern Music, along with the second, belongs in every jazz collection.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 21 track(s)
- Total length: 01:03:29
- Main artists: Thelonious Monk
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2001 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
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