Thelonious Monk - Misterioso

Thelonious Monk — Misterioso

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

Reissued on 180-gram vinyl by Analogue Productions!

Mastered AAA by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tape

Pressed at Quality Record Pressings

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 Misterio, Monk recorded live at the Five Spot Café in the Bowery neighborhood of Manhattan on August 7, 1958, at the same sessions that produced Thelonious in Action. 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 second) of classic Monk repertoire.

This recording showcases Monk's distinctive blend of angular melodies, dissonant harmonies, and rhythmic complexity, all delivered with his trademark sense of style and flair.

From the hypnotic groove of the title track, "Misterioso," to Monk's passion for inside-out melody lines on "Let's Cool One," each composition on this album is a testament to Monk's unparalleled musical vision. Monk leads the listener on a journey through a sonic landscape that is at once unpredictable and deeply compelling. With its daring improvisations, unexpected twists and turns, and infectious energy, Misterioso captures the essence of Monk's creative spirit and serves as a shining example of his enduring influence on the world of jazz.

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.

 

Side 1

Nutty

Blues Five Spot

Let's Cool One

Side 2

In Walked Bud

Just a Gigolo

Misterioso

Customer Reviews (4.33 Stars) 3 person(s) rated this product.

muffled posted on 05/20/2017 3 Stars The upper mids through lower bass are superb and are quite clear. You need to be comfortable using your tone controls if you're going to get the most out of this one, though. The album needs at least a +5db boost on my system to begin to sound realistic. Not up to the standards of recent AP work. It's unfortunate since Monk and Griffin make some great music here.

as good as it gets posted on 10/30/2010 5 Stars The recording is amazingly clear. Close your eyes and you're sitting in that smoke filled club, listening to Ahmed Abdul Malik's fingers sliding on the bass, Roy Haynes cooking ever so eloquently on the drums, and when Johnny Griffin calls out "I got it, I got it" .... that tenor sax says it all. And Monk? Monk pays homage to these musicians with the transcending spirit that rises from his keyboard. Was I blown away? Totally.

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