Thelonious Monk 5 By Monk By 5 CD

Additional Footage

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Thad Jones (cornet); Sam Jones (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, New York, New York on June 1 & 2, 1959. Originally released on Riverside (1150). Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.
This is a Hybrid Super Audio CD playable on Super Audio CD players and regular CD players.
Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Thad Jones (cornet); Sam Jones (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, New York, New York on June 1 & 2, 1959. Originally released on Riverside (1150).
This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Thad Jones (cornet); Art Taylor (drums).
Liner Note Author: Orrin Keepnews.
Recording information: 06/01/1959-06/02/1959.
As the 50s drew to a close, so did Thelonious Monk's illustrious tenure on Riverside Records. In fact, the three dates needed for this title would be his penultimate for the label. The album's concept placed five Monk originals into a five-person (read: quintet) setting. Ironically, this was the first time that Monk had recorded with a lineup that so prominently displayed a "standard" bop rhythm section with both a trumpet and sax player. The quintet on Five by Monk by Five (1959) finds the pianist supported by Thad Jones (cornet), Sam Jones (bass), Art Taylor (drums), and Charlie Rouse (tenor sax) -- who would continue working with the artist as Monk's (more or less) permanent tenor saxophonist for the majority of the '60s. In what had become somewhat of a tradition, the disc's program boasts several of Monk's more established melodies coupled with a few recent works. One of those was "Jackie-ing" -- named incidentally after Monk's niece. It commences the disc exemplifying the loose, disjointed and exceedingly difficult scores that would define Thelonious Monk as a premiere composer, arranger, and bandleader. This seemingly unkempt sound flies in the face of Monk's thoroughly disciplined keyboard playing, as well as a solid component within the context of the full ensemble -- which he skillfully demonstrates not only on "Jackie-ing, " but on every entry within the long-playing effort. The songs' opening jam is imbued with a hearty tug of war as Rouse's animated lines tangle with Monk's interjections and piano antics. Jones' cornet is similarly worked into the tricky arrangements. To some, the sound -- which is starkly disparate when compared to the timbre that exists among the comparatively subdued Rouse or Monk -- can be notably disconcerting. When Five by Monk by Five was reissued in CD, the running order was augmented by two alternate takes of "Played Twice" -- the other Monk-penned tune to have been debuted on the LP. ~ Lindsay Planer
As the '50s drew to a close, so did Thelonious Monk's illustrious tenure on Riverside Records. In fact, the three dates needed for this title would be his penultimate for the label. The concept of the album consists of five Monk originals performed in a quintet setting. Ironically, this was the first time that Monk had recorded with a lineup that so prominently featured the "standard" bop rhythm section incorporating both a trumpet (or, in this case, cornet) and sax player. The quintet featured on Five by Monk by Five includes Monk (piano), Thad Jones (cornet), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Sam Jones (bass), and Art Taylor (drums). Rouse would become Monk's permanent tenor saxophonist for the majority of the 1960s. In what had become somewhat of a tradition, the disc's program consists of several of Monk's more established works as well as a few new compositions. One of the new works, "Jackie-ing" (incidentally, named after one of Monk's nieces), leads off the disc. It exemplifies the loose, disjointed, and exceedingly difficultJazzTimes (5/03, pp.161-85) - "...Monk's tilting, clanging solo is one of his best encounters with 'Straight, No Chaser,' and Rouse sounds shot out of a cannon, even on ballads like 'Ask Me Now'..."
JazzTimes (5/03, pp.161-85) - "...Monk's tilting, clanging solo is one of his best encounters with 'Straight, No Chaser,' and Rouse sounds shot out of a cannon, even on ballads like 'Ask Me Now'..."