Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

's first sessions as a bandleader were recorded between 1947 and 1952, and released on

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

records as a series of 78 RPM singles. These singles were then compiled in later years—with additional performances from the sessions—into long-playing album formats. As Monk's reputation and fame grew, the sessions were recompiled again and again into more complete configurations. This article details various releases of these sessions.

The Sessions

The Blue Note recordings were made over the course of six sessions. "Versions" refers only to the number of eventually-released performances; other takes may have been recorded. All compositions by Thelonious Monk unless otherwise noted.

Session 1: October 15, 1947

# " Humph" # " Evonce" (

Idrees Sulieman Idrees Sulieman (August 7, 1923 – July 23, 2002) was an American bop and hard bop trumpeter. Biography He was born Leonard Graham in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, later changing his name to Idrees Sulieman, after converting to Is ...

Ike Quebec Ike Abrams Quebec (August 17, 1918 – January 16, 1963) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career in the big band era of the 1940s, then fell from prominence for a time until launching a comeback in the years before his dea ...

) versions# "Suburban Eyes" (Ike Quebec) versions# "

Thelonious Thelonious is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Fred Thelonious Baker (born 1960) English guitarist * Thelonious Bernard (born 1964) French actor * Thelonious Martin (born 1992) or King Thelonious, American Hip Hop record prod ...

" ''recorded at WOR Studios, New York City''

Session 2: October 24, 1947

" Nice Work If You Can Get It" (

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

) versions#* Ira Gershwin wrote lyrics for this song, but these recordings are instrumental. # "

Ruby, My Dear This is a list of compositions by jazz musician Thelonious Monk. 0-9 52nd Street Theme A contrafact based loosely on rhythm changes in C, and was copyrighted by Monk under the title "Nameless" in April 1944. The tune was also called "Bip Bop" ...

" versions# " Well You Needn't" versions# " April in Paris" (

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

) versions#*

Yip Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...

wrote lyrics for this song, but these recordings are instrumental. # "

Off Minor Off Minor were an American post-hardcore band from New York City, United States. They formed in 1999 with Jamie Behar, Matt Smith, and Steven Roche, all former Saetia members. However, Smith later left and was replaced by Steven's brother Kevin ...

" # "

Introspection Introspection is the examination of one's own conscious thoughts and feelings. In psychology, the process of introspection relies on the observation of one's mental state, while in a spiritual context it may refer to the examination of one's sou ...

" ''recorded at WOR Studios, New York City''

Session 3: November 21, 1947

In Walked Bud "In Walked Bud" is a 1947 jazz composition by Thelonious Monk. It was composed by Monk in honor of his friend, fellow pianist Bud Powell, and based in part on the Irving Berlin standard " Blue Skies". Monk recorded many renditions of "In Walked B ...

" # " Monk's Mood" # " Who Knows? versions # " 'Round Midnight" ''recorded at WOR Studios, New York City''

Session 4: July 2, 1948

" Evidence" # " Misterioso" versions# " Epistrophy" (Monk,

Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-ha ...

) # " I Mean You" # " All the Things You Are" (

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

, Oscar Hammerstein) # "

I Should Care "I Should Care" is a popular song with music by Axel Stordahl and Paul Weston and lyrics by Sammy Cahn, published in 1944. Cahn said that the title came to him by the time they played the first 4 bars. It first appeared in the MGM film '' Thrill ...

" (

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premi ...

Axel Stordahl Axel Stordahl (August 8, 1913 – August 30, 1963) was an American arranger who was active from the late 1930s through the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his work with Frank Sinatra in the 1940s at Columbia Records. With his sophisticat ...

Paul Weston Paul Weston (born Paul Wetstein; March 12, 1912 – September 20, 1996) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the ...

) versions''recorded at

Apex Studios Apex Studios was a recording studio in Manhattan, New York City. It had a high reputation for recording jazz. It was located in the Beaux Arts Steinway building. The owner was Bob Scheuing. When Al Schmitt started in 1950, the two engineers were Fre ...

, New York City''

Session 5: July 23, 1951

Four in One ''Four in One'' is the umbrella title for a wheel series broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network as part of its 1970-71 schedule in the Wednesday 10 PM Eastern time slot. ''Four in One'' consisted of six episodes of each of ...

" versions# " Criss Cross" versions# " Eronel" (Monk, Sulieman,

Sadik Hakim Sadik Hakim (born Forrest Argonne Thornton; July 15, 1919 – June 20, 1983) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Forrest Argonne Thornton was born on July 15, 1919 in Duluth, Minnesota. The name Argonne came from the World War ...

) # " Straight, No Chaser" # " Ask Me Now" versions# "

Willow Weep for Me "Willow Weep for Me" is a popular song composed in 1932 by Ann Ronell, who also wrote the lyrics. The song form is AABA, written in time,Zimmers, Tighe, E. (2009). ''Tin Pan Alley Girl: A Biography of Ann Ronell''. McFarland. pp. 19-22. altho ...

" ( Ann Ronnell) ''recorded at WOR Studios, New York City''

Session 6: May 30, 1952

" Skippy" versions# " Hornin' In" versions# " Sixteen" versions# " Carolina Moon" (

Benny Davis Benny Davis (August 21, 1895 - December 20, 1979) was a vaudeville performer and writer of popular songs. Biography Davis started performing in vaudeville in his teens. He began writing songs when working as an accompanist for Blossom Seeley. In ...

, Joe Burke) # " Let's Cool One" # "I'll Follow You" ( Fred E. Ahlert) #*

Roy Turk Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...

wrote lyrics for this song, but this recording is instrumental. ''recorded at WOR Studios, New York City'' Material from this session did not appear on the early 1950s Blue Note 10" LPs, which may indicate that they were recorded after preparation of the last of these albums. "Sixteen" and "I'll Follow You" remained unreleased until the 1980s.

Personnel

- piano * Art Blakey - drums (sessions 1, 2, 3, 5) * Shadow Wilson - drums (session 4) *

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He work ...

- drums (session 6) *

Gene Ramey Gene Ramey (April 4, 1913 – December 8, 1984) was an American jazz double bassist. Ramey was born in Austin, Texas, United States, and played trumpet in college, but switched to contrabass when playing with George Corley's Royal Aces, The Moo ...

- bass (session 1, 2) *Bob Paige - bass (session 3) * John Simmons - bass (session 4) *

Al McKibbon Al McKibbon (January 1, 1919 – July 29, 2005) was an American jazz double bassist, known for his work in bop, hard bop, and Latin jazz. In 1947, after working with Lucky Millinder, Tab Smith, J. C. Heard, and Coleman Hawkins, he replaced ...

- bass (session 5) *

Nelson Boyd Nelson Boyd (February 6, 1928, Camden, New Jersey – October 1985Social security register of deaths.) was an American bebop jazz bassist. Biography He was born in Camden, New Jersey, and played in local orchestras in Philadelphia around 1945, an ...

- bass (session 6) * Milt Jackson - vibraphone (4, 5) *

- trumpet (session 1) *George Taitt - trumpet (session 3) * Kenny Dorham - trumpet (session 6) *Danny Quebec West - alto saxophone (session 1) *

Sahib Shihab Sahib Shihab (born Edmund Gregory; June 23, 1925 – October 24, 1989) was an American jazz and hard bop saxophonist (baritone, alto, and soprano) and flautist. He variously worked with Luther Henderson, Thelonious Monk, Fletcher Henderson, ...

- alto saxophone (sessions 3, 5) *

Lou Donaldson Lou Donaldson (born November 1, 1926) is an American retired jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop ...

- alto saxophone (session 6) *Billy Smith - tenor saxophone (session 1) *

Lucky Thompson Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...

- tenor saxophone (session 6) * Kenny "Pancho" Hagood - vocal (session 4, songs 19 & 20)

Singles

Singles released from the Blue Note sessions include the following:

Blue Note 500 series (10 inch 78 rpm)

* BN 542 "Thelonious" (BN311-0) / "Suburban Eyes" (BN310-1) * BN 543 "'Round About Midnight" (BN321-1) / "Well, You Needn't" (BN314-0) * BN 547 "Evonce" (BN309-4) / "Off Minor" (BN317-1) * BN 548 "In Walked Bud" (BN318-3) / "Epistrophy" (BN330-0) * BN 549 "Ruby, My Dear" (BN313-1) / "Evidence" (BN328-0) * BN 560 "Humph" (BN308-2) / "Misterioso" (BN329-0)

Blue Note 1200 series (10 inch 78 rpm)

* BN 1201 "I Should Care" (BN327-2) / "All the Things You Are" (BN326-3)

Blue Note 1500 series (10 inch 78 rpm)

* BN 1564 "I Mean You" (BN331-1) / "Symphonette" (BN334-1) Symphonette"_not_recorded_by_Monk;_Tadd_Dameron_performance.html" ;"title="Tadd_Dameron.html" ;"title="Symphonette" not recorded by Monk; Tadd Dameron">Symphonette" not recorded by Monk; Tadd Dameron performance">Tadd_Dameron.html" ;"title="Symphonette" not recorded by Monk; Tadd Dameron">Symphonette" not recorded by Monk; Tadd Dameron performance* BN 1565 "Who Knows" (BN320-0) / "Monk's Mood" (BN319-0) * BN 1575 "April in Paris" (BN315-1) / "Nice Work If You Can Get It" (BN312-1) * BN 1589 "Four in One" (BN392-1) / "Straight, No Chaser" (BN395-1) * BN 1590 "Criss Cross" (BN393-0) / "Eronel" (BN394-0) * BN 1591 "Ask Me Now" (BN396-1) / "Willow Weep for Me" (BN397-0) * BN 1602 "Skippy" (BN434-1 tk.2) / "Let's Cool One" (BN438-0 tk.11) * BN 1603 "Hornin' In" (BN435-3 tk.7) / "Carolina Moon" (BN437-0 tk.10)

Blue Note 1600 series (7 inch 45 rpm)

* BN 45-1664 "'Round About Midnight" (BN321-1) / "In Walked Bud" (BN318-3) * BN 45-1646 "Lillie" [Milt Jackson] (BN423-1 tk.4) / "Willow Weep for Me" (BN397-0) [credited to Milt Jackson]

1951-1952 series of 10-inch LPs

''Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1, Genius of Modern Music'' (Blue Note LP 5002, 1951)

Side 1: # 'Round Midnight (as "Round About Midnight") #Off Minor #

#I Mean You Side 2: #Thelonious # Epistrophy #

Well, You Needn't This is a list of compositions by jazz musician Thelonious Monk. 0-9 52nd Street Theme A contrafact based loosely on rhythm changes in C, and was copyrighted by Monk under the title "Nameless" in April 1944. The tune was also called "Bip Bop" b ...

#Misterioso The original 10" release does not include any recordings made after 1948.

'' Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2'' (Blue Note LP 5009, 1952)

Side 1: #Four in One #Who Knows? # Nice Work if You Can Get It #

Side 2: #Humph # Straight, No Chaser #Suburban Eyes #Ask Me Now The original 10" release does not include any recordings from Monk's May 30, 1952 Blue Note session, which may indicate that the album was prepared (and maybe released) before that session took place.

'' Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes'' (Blue Note LP 5011, 1952)

Side 1: #''Tahiti'' #''Lillie'' #Criss-Cross #

Side 2: #''What's New?'' #''Bags' Groove'' #''On the Scene'' #Eronel Tracks A1-A2, B1-B3 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

1956 Series of 12 inch LPs (monochrome photo covers)

'' Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet'' (Blue Note BLP-1509, 1956)

Side 1: #''Lillie'' #''Tahiti'' #''What's New?'' #''Bags' Groove'' #''On the Scene'' # Willow, Weep for Me Side 2: #Criss Cross #Eronel #Misterioso (Alternate Master) #Evidence #''Lillie (Alternate Master)'' #Four in One (Alternate Master) Tracks A1-A5, B5 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.
This LP marked the first release of the alternate takes of "Misterioso" and "Four In One."

'' Genius of Modern Music Volume One'' (Blue Note BLP-1510, 1956, yellow cover)

Side 1: # 'Round Midnight (as "Round About Midnight") #Off Minor # Ruby my Dear #I Mean You # April in Paris #

Side 2: #Thelonious # Epistrophy #Misterioso # Well You Needn't #Introspection #Humph This LP marked the first release of "Introspection."

'' Genius of Modern Music Volume Two'' (Blue Note BLP-1511, 1956, red cover)

# Carolina Moon ( Joe Burke,

) #Hornin' In #Skippy #Let's Cool One #Suburban Eyes (

) #Evonce (

) Side 2: # Straight, No Chaser #Four in One # Nice Work (If You Can Get It) ( G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) #Monk's Mood #Who Knows? #Ask Me Now

1989 CD Recompilations

These CD releases use the cover art of the 1956 twelve inch LPs, but redistribute the performances between the volumes into a strict chronological order, with alternate takes immediately following the first-released takes. A 2-CD set called ''The Complete Genius'', featuring the 1956 yellow cover art, includes ''all'' of the Blue Note sessions (including July 2, 1948), ordered in a similar manner.

'' Genius of Modern Music Volume One'' (uses 1956 yellow cover)

#Humph #Evonce (alternate take) #Evonce #Suburban Eyes #Suburban Eyes (alternate take) #Thelonious # Nice Work If You Can Get It (alternate take) #Nice Work If You Can Get It #

(alternate take) #Ruby, My Dear #

#Well, You Needn't (alternate take) # April in Paris (alternate take) #April in Paris #Off Minor #Introspection #

#Monk's Mood #Who Knows # 'Round Midnight #Who Knows (alternate take) 1-6 recorded Oct 15, 1947
7-16 recorded Oct 24 1947
17-21 recorded Nov 21, 1947

'' Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet'' (uses 1956 red cover)

#Tahiti #Lillie #Lillie # Bags' Groove #What's New? #What's New? #

Don't Get Around Much Anymore "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" is a jazz standard written by composer Duke Ellington. The song was originally entitled "Never No Lament" and was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra on May 4, 1940. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" ...

#Don't Get Around Much Anymore #On the Scene #Evidence #Misterioso #Misterioso # Epistrophy #I Mean You # All the Things You Are #

#I Should Care 10-17 recorded July 2, 1948
1-9 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

'' Genius of Modern Music Volume Two'' (uses 1956 red cover)

#Four in One #Four in One (alternate take) #Criss Cross #Criss Cross (alternate take) #Eronel # Straight, No Chaser #Ask Me Now (alternate take) #Ask Me Now #

#Skippy #Skippy (alternate take) #Hornin' In (alternate take) #Hornin' In #Sixteen (first take) #Sixteen (second take) #Carolina Moon #Let's Cool One #I'll Follow You 1-9 recorded July 23, 1951
10-18 recorded May 30, 1952

2001 CD Recompilations

The sessions were recompiled, under the same title, on CD in 2001 as part of the RVG series, remastered by Rudy Van Gelder from the original session lacquers. The cover art for the original 8-song 10 inch LPs was used, regardless of whether the specific tracks listed were actually included on the corresponding new volumes. While the earlier CDs grouped all takes of each title together, the recompilation put the alternate takes at the end of each session. The July 2, 1948 session was released on Blue Note CD ''Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes'', which also used its respective 1952 10-inch LP cover art.

'' Genius of Modern Music Vol. 1'' (2001)

#Humph #Evonce #Suburban Eyes #Thelonious #Evonce (alternate take) #Suburban Eyes (alternate take) # Nice Work If You Can Get It #

# April in Paris #Off Minor #Introspection #Nice Work If You Can Get It (alternate take) #Ruby, My Dear (alternate take) #Well, You Needn't (alternate take) #April in Paris (alternate take) #

#Monk's Mood #Who Knows? # 'Round Midnight #Who Knows? (alternate take) 1-6 recorded Oct 15, 1947
7-16 recorded Oct 24 1947
17-21 recorded Nov 21, 1947

'' Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes'' (2001)

#''Tahiti'' #''Lillie'' #''Bags' Groove'' #''What's New'' #''Don't Get Around Much Anymore'' #''On the Scene'' #''Lillie (alternate take)'' #''What's New (alternate take)'' #''Don't Get Around Much Anymore (alternate take)'' #Evidence #Misterioso # Epistrophy #I Mean You #Misterioso (alternate take) # All the Things You Are #

#I Should Care (alternate take) 10-17 recorded July 2, 1948
1-9 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

'' Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2'' (2001)

#Four in One #Criss Cross #Eronel # Straight, No Chaser #Ask Me Now #

#Four in One (alternate take) (mislabeled as "Nice Work If You Can Get It") #Criss Cross (alternate take) #Ask Me Now (alternate take) #Skippy #Hornin' In #Sixteen (second take) # Carolina Moon #Let's Cool One #I'll Follow You #Skippy (alternate take) #Hornin' In (alternate take) #Sixteen (first take) 1-9 recorded July 23, 1951
10-18 recorded May 30, 1952

Other Compilations in Brief

''The Complete Genius'' (Blue Note 2 LP set, BN-LA 579-H2)

1976 compilation featuring all takes released in 1940s and 1950s.
Sessions presented in this order: 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5.

''The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Thelonious Monk'' ( Mosaic Records 4 LP Boxed Set, MR4-101)

Limited edition 1983 set marked the first appearance of most of the alternate takes, and debuted the recordings of "Sixteen" and "I'll Follow You" from the May 30, 1952 session. Ordering is similar to later Blue Note (Japan) 2-CD ''Complete Genius''.

''The Complete Genius'' (Blue Note Japan, 2 CD set)

Similar in visual appearance and sequencing to the 1989 releases, combines ''Genius of Modern Music'' volumes 1 & 2, with the 1948 Milt Jackson section properly placed in-between. Features the yellow ''Volume 1'' cover from 1956. This may only have been released by Blue Note Japan.

''The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Thelonious Monk'' (Blue Note, 4 CD Boxed Set)

1994 compilation with similar cover to Mosaic LP set includes all takes from the six sessions, together with two tracks, "Reflections" and "Misterioso", recorded with Sonny Rollins on April 14, 1957, and the same five (of a total of seven) of the tracks recorded live at the

Five Spot Café The Five Spot Café was a jazz club located at 5 Cooper Square (1956–1962) in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City, between the East and West Village. In 1962, it moved to 2 St. Marks Place until closing in 1967. Its friendly, non-commerc ...

with John Coltrane in the late summer of 1958 that had previously been released as ''The Thelonious Monk Quartet featuring John Coltrane: Live at the Five Spot: Discovery!''.

References

External links

* Covers and Liner Notes of 10" LPs: http://www.gokudo.co.jp/Record/BlueNote1/index.htm * Covers and Liner Notes of 12" LPs: http://www.gokudo.co.jp/Record/BlueNote2/index.htm
Blue Note 78 rpm series (12 inch 78 rpm) - BN 1 Meade "Lux" Lewis - Melancholy / Solitude 1939

Blue Note Records Catalog: 45 rpm 1600 series - single index
{{Thelonious Monk Blue Note Records albums de:Genius of Modern Music