Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1

Amazon.com
These late-'40s recordings are culled from Thelonious Monk's first recording sessions as a leader. The components of the pianist-composer's singular style were firmly in place: the cubist pianism, spiky melodicism, edgy wit, and profound sense of time, accent, and sonority. In the main, trio numbers like the haunting "Ruby My Dear" or the quirky recasting of Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It" come off best. The cuts with horns, on the other hand, seem artfully cluttered and unsettled in comparison to the cohesion and purposefulness of Monk's magnificent Riverside recordings from the '50s--all of them collected on the magisterial 15-CD Complete Riverside Recordings box set. Still and all, Monk's Blue Notes sound better than ever in these remasterings from the best source material extant. --Jed Distler

Product Description
Japanese Release featuring 24 Bit Remastering and LP Style Slipcase for Initial Pressing Only. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1,Thelonious Monk,Capitol,Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Average customer rating: early and amazing A beginning. Piece of art A must-have for Monk fans! Early Monk

Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 Thelonious Monk Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bebop | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Modern Post Bop | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 Moanin' The Sidewinder Maiden Voyage Somethin' Else ASIN: B00005MIZ4 Release Date: 2001-08-07

Tracks:

1. Humph
2. Evonce
3. Suburban Eyes
4. Thelonious
5. Evonce
6. Suburban Eyes
7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
8. Ruby My Dear
9. Well You Needn't
10. April In Paris
11. Off Minor
12. Introspection
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It (Alternate Take)
14. Ruby My Dear (Alternate Take)
15. Well You Needn't (Alternate Take)
16. April In Paris (Alternate Take)
17. In Walked Bud
18. Monk's Mood
19. Who Knows?
20. 'Round Midnight
21. Who Knows? (Alternate Take)

Amazon.com

These late-'40s recordings are culled from Thelonious Monk's first recording sessions as a leader. The components of the pianist-composer's singular style were firmly in place: the cubist pianism, spiky melodicism, edgy wit, and profound sense of time, accent, and sonority. In the main, trio numbers like the haunting "Ruby My Dear" or the quirky recasting of Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It" come off best. The cuts with horns, on the other hand, seem artfully cluttered and unsettled in comparison to the cohesion and purposefulness of Monk's magnificent Riverside recordings from the '50s--all of them collected on the magisterial 15-CD Complete Riverside Recordings box set. Still and all, Monk's Blue Notes sound better than ever in these remasterings from the best source material extant. --Jed Distler

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring 24 Bit Remastering and LP Style Slipcase for Initial Pressing Only.

Customer Reviews:

early and amazing.......2006-01-07

The blue note recordings are essential monk and amazingly creative. Not overrated or romanticized for being the beginning of a long and innovative career. All of the blue note studio recordings (except for maybe one or two alternate takes) can be found on the two volumes of genius of modern music AND Milt Jackson's "Wizard of the Vibes," on blue note also.

A beginning........2005-10-03

I think sometimes first recordings by important artists get more merit than they deserve-- it's a legend after all, this is their formative material, their early works, etc. And in some respect, there's merit to that, but when you have a pioneering artist like Thelonious Monk, you end up with a large disconnect between the other musicians and the leader. Such is the case on much of "Genius of Modern Music, Volume One". Singles recorded in three sessions during October and November of 1947, these are the first recordings by Thelonious Monk as a leader.

The first session featured Monk with a rhythm section of Gene Ramey (on bass) and Art Blakey (on drums) with three horns-- Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Danny Quebec West on alto sax, and Billy Smith on tenor sax. Four titles were tackled, only two composed by Monk (two were by Ike Quebec, who helped get Monk signed to Blue Note). The horn players, all largely best known for this session, are fairly clueless and turn out earnest but by and large unexciting performances and force Monk into a rather standard comping role. Comparing his playing to his work behind the horn players in the third session on here, the difference is astounding. But by and large, none of these pieces save "Thelonious", go to any strides to really show Monk off as a songwriter or a musician.

The second session finds Monk in a trio setting with Ramey and Blakey. Here, the real value of these recordings begin as many of the things that make Monk what he is come forth, whether he is tackling standards ("Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "April in Paris" both get readings) or originals (such critical pieces as "Ruby My Dear" and "Well You Needn't"), the work is stunning and the performance is breathtaking.

The last session on here sits somewhere in between these two-- Monk is accompanied by trumpeter George Taitt and alto saxophonist Sahib Shibab along with bassist Bob Paige and Blakey. The results are typically pretty good, with the horns performing spectacularly on the ballads of the session ("Monk's Mood" and the legendary "'Round Midnight") and really digging in on an explosive version of "In Walked Bud". It's really quite unfortunate that these were all recorded for singles because several of the solos just start developing when they have to end (due to limitations in the physical media used for the original release).

This reissue, part of the Rudy Van Gelder edition of remasters on Blue Note, features the best sound these sessions have ever received. Monk would make better recordings as time went on, but these are still quite good. Recommended.

Piece of art.......2004-05-17

Been a Monk fan for a long time, I have considered this album a "must have" for every jazz fan around the world. Monk pianism is brilliant and ideas are flowing all through the recording. Monk is to jazz what Velazquez is to painting!!!!

A must-have for Monk fans!.......2003-08-11

Name a tune that swings harder than this original version of "Thelonious"? All the cuts stand up to repeated listening (heck I've been listening to them repeatedly since the fifties!) but "Thelonious" is simply perfect Monk: the tune, his solo, the true-to-Monk horn arrangement that he himself wrote out. Blakey intersperses great old school snare accents and bass drum kicks in all the right places. But don't take my word for it: the excerpt you can sample tells all.

Early Monk.......2001-11-08

These 1947 recordings are among the earliest documents we have of piano genius and jazz pioneer Thelonious Sphere Monk. It's hard to believe that he was finally hailed with acclaim in 1957 for ideas he'd had 10 years earlier! When listening to these tracks, you should keep a couple of things in mind. First, recording technology wasn't too hot in 1947, and you can't expect the pristine, Rudy Van Gelder sound quality of 50s jazz. (Though compared to the 89 reissue, this Van Gelder edition sounds phenomenal.) Second, some of Monk's sidemen on this album didn't understand the new bop style very well, and were even more clueless on Monk's advanced ideas. (Even Art Blakey, one of Monk's best accompanists in the 50s, sounds a little confused here.) But these complaints aside, there's really phenomenal music here; tracks 7-16 (a trio with Blakey and bassist Gene Ramey) are especially marvelous, with classic recordings of Monk staples "Off Minor", "Ruby My Dear", "Well You Needn't" and "Introspection" as well as typically quirky takes on two standards ("April in Paris" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It"). The rest of the tracks are not quite up to the same standard due to the sidemen (Sahib Shihab provides the oddest alto saxophone sound ever on "Monk's Mood") but are still exciting. This set of 21 songs isn't quite as strong as Genius of Modern Music Volume 2, yet definitely essential for the Monk enthusiast.

Average customer rating: early and amazing A beginning. Piece of art A must-have for Monk fans! Early Monk

Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 Thelonious Monk Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bebop | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Modern Post Bop | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 Moanin' The Sidewinder Maiden Voyage Somethin' Else ASIN: B000005HBS Release Date: 1989-07-12

Tracks:

1. Humph
2. Envoce (Alternate Take)
3. Envoce
4. Suburban Eyes
5. Suburban Eyes (Alternate Take)
6. Thelonious
7. Nice Work Of You Can Get It (Alternate Take)
8. Nice Work Of You Can Get It
9. Ruby My Dear (Alternate Take)
10. Ruby My Dear
11. Well You Needn't
12. Well You Needn't (Alternate Take)
13. April In Paris (Alternate Take)
14. April In Paris
15. Off minor
16. Introspection
17. In Walked Bud
18. Monk's Mood
19. Who Knows
20. 'Round Midnight
21. Who Knows (Alternate Take)

Amazon.com

These late-'40s recordings are culled from Thelonious Monk's first recording sessions as a leader. The components of the pianist-composer's singular style were firmly in place: the cubist pianism, spiky melodicism, edgy wit, and profound sense of time, accent, and sonority. In the main, trio numbers like the haunting "Ruby My Dear" or the quirky recasting of Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It" come off best. The cuts with horns, on the other hand, seem artfully cluttered and unsettled in comparison to the cohesion and purposefulness of Monk's magnificent Riverside recordings from the '50s--all of them collected on the magisterial 15-CD Complete Riverside Recordings box set. Still and all, Monk's Blue Notes sound better than ever in these remasterings from the best source material extant. --Jed Distler

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring 24 Bit Remastering and LP Style Slipcase for Initial Pressing Only.

Customer Reviews:

early and amazing.......2006-01-07

The blue note recordings are essential monk and amazingly creative. Not overrated or romanticized for being the beginning of a long and innovative career. All of the blue note studio recordings (except for maybe one or two alternate takes) can be found on the two volumes of genius of modern music AND Milt Jackson's "Wizard of the Vibes," on blue note also.

A beginning........2005-10-03

I think sometimes first recordings by important artists get more merit than they deserve-- it's a legend after all, this is their formative material, their early works, etc. And in some respect, there's merit to that, but when you have a pioneering artist like Thelonious Monk, you end up with a large disconnect between the other musicians and the leader. Such is the case on much of "Genius of Modern Music, Volume One". Singles recorded in three sessions during October and November of 1947, these are the first recordings by Thelonious Monk as a leader.

The first session featured Monk with a rhythm section of Gene Ramey (on bass) and Art Blakey (on drums) with three horns-- Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Danny Quebec West on alto sax, and Billy Smith on tenor sax. Four titles were tackled, only two composed by Monk (two were by Ike Quebec, who helped get Monk signed to Blue Note). The horn players, all largely best known for this session, are fairly clueless and turn out earnest but by and large unexciting performances and force Monk into a rather standard comping role. Comparing his playing to his work behind the horn players in the third session on here, the difference is astounding. But by and large, none of these pieces save "Thelonious", go to any strides to really show Monk off as a songwriter or a musician.

The second session finds Monk in a trio setting with Ramey and Blakey. Here, the real value of these recordings begin as many of the things that make Monk what he is come forth, whether he is tackling standards ("Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "April in Paris" both get readings) or originals (such critical pieces as "Ruby My Dear" and "Well You Needn't"), the work is stunning and the performance is breathtaking.

The last session on here sits somewhere in between these two-- Monk is accompanied by trumpeter George Taitt and alto saxophonist Sahib Shibab along with bassist Bob Paige and Blakey. The results are typically pretty good, with the horns performing spectacularly on the ballads of the session ("Monk's Mood" and the legendary "'Round Midnight") and really digging in on an explosive version of "In Walked Bud". It's really quite unfortunate that these were all recorded for singles because several of the solos just start developing when they have to end (due to limitations in the physical media used for the original release).

This reissue, part of the Rudy Van Gelder edition of remasters on Blue Note, features the best sound these sessions have ever received. Monk would make better recordings as time went on, but these are still quite good. Recommended.

Piece of art.......2004-05-17

Been a Monk fan for a long time, I have considered this album a "must have" for every jazz fan around the world. Monk pianism is brilliant and ideas are flowing all through the recording. Monk is to jazz what Velazquez is to painting!!!!

A must-have for Monk fans!.......2003-08-11

Name a tune that swings harder than this original version of "Thelonious"? All the cuts stand up to repeated listening (heck I've been listening to them repeatedly since the fifties!) but "Thelonious" is simply perfect Monk: the tune, his solo, the true-to-Monk horn arrangement that he himself wrote out. Blakey intersperses great old school snare accents and bass drum kicks in all the right places. But don't take my word for it: the excerpt you can sample tells all.

Early Monk.......2001-11-08

These 1947 recordings are among the earliest documents we have of piano genius and jazz pioneer Thelonious Sphere Monk. It's hard to believe that he was finally hailed with acclaim in 1957 for ideas he'd had 10 years earlier! When listening to these tracks, you should keep a couple of things in mind. First, recording technology wasn't too hot in 1947, and you can't expect the pristine, Rudy Van Gelder sound quality of 50s jazz. (Though compared to the 89 reissue, this Van Gelder edition sounds phenomenal.) Second, some of Monk's sidemen on this album didn't understand the new bop style very well, and were even more clueless on Monk's advanced ideas. (Even Art Blakey, one of Monk's best accompanists in the 50s, sounds a little confused here.) But these complaints aside, there's really phenomenal music here; tracks 7-16 (a trio with Blakey and bassist Gene Ramey) are especially marvelous, with classic recordings of Monk staples "Off Minor", "Ruby My Dear", "Well You Needn't" and "Introspection" as well as typically quirky takes on two standards ("April in Paris" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It"). The rest of the tracks are not quite up to the same standard due to the sidemen (Sahib Shihab provides the oddest alto saxophone sound ever on "Monk's Mood") but are still exciting. This set of 21 songs isn't quite as strong as Genius of Modern Music Volume 2, yet definitely essential for the Monk enthusiast.

Average customer rating: early and amazing A beginning. Piece of art A must-have for Monk fans! Early Monk

Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 Thelonious Monk Manufacturer: Blue Note Japan ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 Moanin' The Sidewinder Maiden Voyage Somethin' Else ASIN: B00000JA8F Release Date: 1998-11-26

Tracks:

1. Humph
2. Evonce
3. Suburban Eyes
4. Thelonious
5. Evonce
6. Suburban Eyes
7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
8. Ruby, My Dear
9. Well You Needn't
10. April in Paris
11. Off Minor
12. Introspection
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It [Alternate Take]
14. Ruby, My Dear [Alternate Take]
15. Well, You Needn't [Alternate Take]
16. April in Paris [Alternate Take]
17. In Walked Bud
18. Monk's Mood
19. Who Knows?
20. 'Round Midnight
21. Who Knows? [Alternate Take]

Amazon.com

These late-'40s recordings are culled from Thelonious Monk's first recording sessions as a leader. The components of the pianist-composer's singular style were firmly in place: the cubist pianism, spiky melodicism, edgy wit, and profound sense of time, accent, and sonority. In the main, trio numbers like the haunting "Ruby My Dear" or the quirky recasting of Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It" come off best. The cuts with horns, on the other hand, seem artfully cluttered and unsettled in comparison to the cohesion and purposefulness of Monk's magnificent Riverside recordings from the '50s--all of them collected on the magisterial 15-CD Complete Riverside Recordings box set. Still and all, Monk's Blue Notes sound better than ever in these remasterings from the best source material extant. --Jed Distler

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring 24 Bit Remastering and LP Style Slipcase for Initial Pressing Only.

Customer Reviews:

early and amazing.......2006-01-07

The blue note recordings are essential monk and amazingly creative. Not overrated or romanticized for being the beginning of a long and innovative career. All of the blue note studio recordings (except for maybe one or two alternate takes) can be found on the two volumes of genius of modern music AND Milt Jackson's "Wizard of the Vibes," on blue note also.

A beginning........2005-10-03

I think sometimes first recordings by important artists get more merit than they deserve-- it's a legend after all, this is their formative material, their early works, etc. And in some respect, there's merit to that, but when you have a pioneering artist like Thelonious Monk, you end up with a large disconnect between the other musicians and the leader. Such is the case on much of "Genius of Modern Music, Volume One". Singles recorded in three sessions during October and November of 1947, these are the first recordings by Thelonious Monk as a leader.

The first session featured Monk with a rhythm section of Gene Ramey (on bass) and Art Blakey (on drums) with three horns-- Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Danny Quebec West on alto sax, and Billy Smith on tenor sax. Four titles were tackled, only two composed by Monk (two were by Ike Quebec, who helped get Monk signed to Blue Note). The horn players, all largely best known for this session, are fairly clueless and turn out earnest but by and large unexciting performances and force Monk into a rather standard comping role. Comparing his playing to his work behind the horn players in the third session on here, the difference is astounding. But by and large, none of these pieces save "Thelonious", go to any strides to really show Monk off as a songwriter or a musician.

The second session finds Monk in a trio setting with Ramey and Blakey. Here, the real value of these recordings begin as many of the things that make Monk what he is come forth, whether he is tackling standards ("Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "April in Paris" both get readings) or originals (such critical pieces as "Ruby My Dear" and "Well You Needn't"), the work is stunning and the performance is breathtaking.

The last session on here sits somewhere in between these two-- Monk is accompanied by trumpeter George Taitt and alto saxophonist Sahib Shibab along with bassist Bob Paige and Blakey. The results are typically pretty good, with the horns performing spectacularly on the ballads of the session ("Monk's Mood" and the legendary "'Round Midnight") and really digging in on an explosive version of "In Walked Bud". It's really quite unfortunate that these were all recorded for singles because several of the solos just start developing when they have to end (due to limitations in the physical media used for the original release).

This reissue, part of the Rudy Van Gelder edition of remasters on Blue Note, features the best sound these sessions have ever received. Monk would make better recordings as time went on, but these are still quite good. Recommended.

Piece of art.......2004-05-17

Been a Monk fan for a long time, I have considered this album a "must have" for every jazz fan around the world. Monk pianism is brilliant and ideas are flowing all through the recording. Monk is to jazz what Velazquez is to painting!!!!

A must-have for Monk fans!.......2003-08-11

Name a tune that swings harder than this original version of "Thelonious"? All the cuts stand up to repeated listening (heck I've been listening to them repeatedly since the fifties!) but "Thelonious" is simply perfect Monk: the tune, his solo, the true-to-Monk horn arrangement that he himself wrote out. Blakey intersperses great old school snare accents and bass drum kicks in all the right places. But don't take my word for it: the excerpt you can sample tells all.

Early Monk.......2001-11-08

These 1947 recordings are among the earliest documents we have of piano genius and jazz pioneer Thelonious Sphere Monk. It's hard to believe that he was finally hailed with acclaim in 1957 for ideas he'd had 10 years earlier! When listening to these tracks, you should keep a couple of things in mind. First, recording technology wasn't too hot in 1947, and you can't expect the pristine, Rudy Van Gelder sound quality of 50s jazz. (Though compared to the 89 reissue, this Van Gelder edition sounds phenomenal.) Second, some of Monk's sidemen on this album didn't understand the new bop style very well, and were even more clueless on Monk's advanced ideas. (Even Art Blakey, one of Monk's best accompanists in the 50s, sounds a little confused here.) But these complaints aside, there's really phenomenal music here; tracks 7-16 (a trio with Blakey and bassist Gene Ramey) are especially marvelous, with classic recordings of Monk staples "Off Minor", "Ruby My Dear", "Well You Needn't" and "Introspection" as well as typically quirky takes on two standards ("April in Paris" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It"). The rest of the tracks are not quite up to the same standard due to the sidemen (Sahib Shihab provides the oddest alto saxophone sound ever on "Monk's Mood") but are still exciting. This set of 21 songs isn't quite as strong as Genius of Modern Music Volume 2, yet definitely essential for the Monk enthusiast.

Average customer rating:

Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 Thelonious Monk Manufacturer: Blue Note ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0002FQM3M Release Date: 2004-09-06

Tracks:

1. Humph
2. Thelonious
3. Ruby My Dear
4. Well You Needn't
5. April in Paris
6. Introspection
7. Off Minor
8. In Walked Bud
9. Round About Midnight
10. Epistrophy
11. I Mean You

Album Description

Japanese limited edition 24-bit remastered reissue of the late jazz icon's 1947 album. Blue Note. 2004.

Album Details

24 bit digitally remastered.

Jazz Music:

1. Gil Evans [Import]
2. Go!
3. Good King Bad [Import]
4. GSBE LIVE [Live]
5. Inspired
6. Interplanetary Funk
7. Jacquet's Got It!
8. Jaws
9. Jaws
10. Le Bonheur De Chanter

Jazz Music

jazz music