Thelonious Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, such as 'Round Midnight. Monk is the second most recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington. By the time of his signing to Riverside, Monk was highly regarded by his peers and by some critics, but his music was still regarded as too 'difficult' for more mainstream acceptance.

• Limited Edition
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl 
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings, QRP, USA
• Cut AAA by Kevin Gray 
• Mastered from the Original Analog Master Tapes
• Deluxe "tip-on" jacket by Stoughton Printing
• Stereo

One of seven standout Thelonious Monk albums from the Riverside Records catalog!

Despite various reissue formats over several decades, the seven original LPs contained in Thelonious Monk — The Riverside Tenor Sessions stood perfectly well on their own at the time of initial release and remain among the highest achievements of a truly golden age. Recorded and released between 1956 and 1961, these seven Monk combo albums were critical in Monk's emergence from a decade of ridicule and neglect to his status at the pinnacle of the jazz pantheon.

For Thelonious in Action, Monk recorded live at the Five Spot Café in the Bowery neighborhood of Manhattan on August 7, 1958, at the same sessions that produced Misterioso. One of New York's most celebrated jazz rooms, the Five Spot is where Monk first emerged into the spotlight. With him on this date was tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik. They created two highly memorable in-performance albums (of which this is the first) of classic Monk repertoire.

From the moment Monk's fingers touch the keys on the opening track, "Light Blue," the listener is transported into a world of musical virtuosity and improvisational brilliance. Monk leads the quartet through a series of electrifying performances that are as daring as they are captivating.

In addition to some of his best recorded piano performances and more than two dozen of his profoundly personal compositions, the albums in this reissue series provide an overview of the era's major tenor saxophonists, with contributions by Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Charlie Rouse and Harold Land. Max Roach, Art Blakely, Roy Haynes and Thad Jones are among the other jazz immortals featured on the essential Brilliant Corners, Monk's Music: Thelonious Monk Septet, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, Thelonious in Action, Misterioso, 5 by Monk by 5 and Quartet Plus Two At The Blackhawk.

Musicians:

Johnny Griffin - tenor sax
Thelonious Monk - piano
Ahmed Abdul-Malik - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track Listing:

1. Light Blue
2. Coming On The Hudson
3. Rhythm-a-ning
4. Epistrophy (theme)
5. Blue Monk
6. Evidence
7. Epistrophy (theme)

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫