Thelonious Monk Palo Alto

Thelonious Monk
Palo Alto
Impulse!

Much has been written about the circumstances that led Thelonious Monk to perform at a California High School while Monk and his quartet were appearing at a San Francisco club. You can look up stories in the New York Times and other sources, or the liner notes for this fascinating 1968 Concert recording that has been released after a short delay. In any event, Monk was with his quartet of Larry Gales on bass, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax and Ben Riley on drums for an afternoon set.

A gorgeous rendition of "Ruby My Dear" opens and the highly underrated Rouse sounds wonderful as Monk lays down his unusual accompanying accents and unique solo. This is followed by a length rendition of "Well You Needn't" that Rouse opens with a lengthy solo. Monk follows with a solo displaying his distinctive note and chord placements while Riley dances with the groove before soloing himself. It is an exhilarating performance followed Monk playing a remarkable solo piano rendition of "Don't Blame Me," that displays his stride piano roots. The full Quartet returns for a swinging, "Blue Monk," the afternoon's lengthiest performance with all the members soloing. A crisply, energetic "Epistrophy" follows before the concert (and this recording) closes with a lovely solo piano rendition of "I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams."

This must have been a wonderful afternoon (the full details are included in the accompanying booklet) and the music still sounds fresh and contemporary 52 years after it was performed. Monk lives.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is the Thelonious Monk Quartet from another performance playing "Round Midnight."