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Thelonius Monk - where to start

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 Thrudge 25 Jul 2012
I've been listening to Monk in the pub and I'm impressed. I'd like to buy some of his stuff and want to start with a 'best of' or one of his classic albums. But I don't know which are the good recordings and which are the dull sounding re-re-releases.

Could somebody point me at a good quality recording along these lines, please?
In reply to Tony Naylor:

Solo Monk is really good if you want to focus on his piano playing.

I find Thelonius' music ideal play whilst driving: the percussive, extraordinary rhythms help to keep one alert!
In reply to Tony Naylor: More of an Erroll Garner man myself but the Verve label do a range of sampler CDs called Jazz Masters. I haven't got the Monk one but they're usually pretty good
 flaneur 25 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor:

Get everything, they are pretty much all good, well up until the very late recordings. Failing that, any of the Riverside (label) recordings. The 2 volume Genius of Modern Music collects all his earlier Blue Note recordings and is essential too.

If you really twisted my arm I'd start with Genius of Modern Music vol 2, Brilliant Corners and Monk's Music.

youtube.com/watch?v=SmhP1RgbrrY&
 Timmd 25 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor:

Criss Cross is pretty good.
 Timmd 25 Jul 2012
In reply to John Stainforth:
> (In reply to Tony Naylor)
>
> Solo Monk is really good if you want to focus on his piano playing.
>
> I find Thelonius' music ideal play whilst driving: the percussive, extraordinary rhythms help to keep one alert!

The Awakening by Ahmed Jamal has some tunes on it with driving percussion/rythms to them, no pun intended.

He influenced Red Garland quite heavily according to my musical brother, or Red Garland influenced him, I forget which.
 r.greaves 25 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor: ting of theres a very good cd, Blackhawk club or something similar.

good listening

rich
Yrmenlaf 25 Jul 2012
 Timmd 25 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor:

http://100greatestjazzalbums.blogspot.co.uk/2005/06/live-at-it-club-complet...

This is good.

Google for a track called 'Humph' by Thelonius Monk and buy that album too, it fits the title in a funny way and it's a good tune, and the others are as well.

It's worth it just for listening to a tune called 'Humph' though. ()
 David Hooper 26 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor: The Composer is a good accessible well thought out anthology. Brilliant Corners is probably is best bit of work.
 Jack 26 Jul 2012
In reply to Tony Naylor: My old man used to refer to him as Melodious Thump.
 Andy Clarke 27 Jul 2012
Brilliant Corners is probably his best bit of work.

+1

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