Customer Reviews

The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings (2 CD)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With the recently-released Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane Carnegie Hall CD selling extraordinarily well, the next logical step was to create a companion set of their studio recordings. On cue, THE COMPLETE 1957 RIVERSIDE RECORDINGS steps into the marketplace. Basically this set is the audio equivalent of a "Director's Cut" video release, but in this case it's producer Orrin Keepnews' labor of love.

For some the contents of this set may be too much of a good thing, given the number of alternate takes (plus the inclusion of several cuts from the same sessions that are missing one of the two key musicians). Ten tunes are featured among the twenty tracks included on the two CDs. However, for most listeners the multiple takes will be welcome. Both Monk and Coltrane almost always find something unique to say in their solos, although the five takes of "Crepuscule With Nellie" arguably do get a bit repetitive. Even so, bottom-of-the-barrel Monk and Trane out-takes would be over-the-top-of-the-barrel for most other musicians. Furthermore, I was surprised to find that two tracks are released here for the first time. Not to mention the master takes, which belong in the front wing of any jazz hall-of-fame!

Monk and Coltrane's names may be the only ones on the front cover, but the other musicians are among jazz's all-time greats as well, including tenor sax legend Coleman Hawkins on one session. There's really nothing more I can write than to say that these recordings are historically important, and timeless in their ability to sound fresh and innovative even a half-century after they were recorded. It's hard to find any jazz recordings over the course of its entire history that are more crucial than these Monk and Coltrane sessions.

And their names were Monk, Coltrane, Blakey, and Hawkins. One blessed day in 1957 (or several, actually) they all got together in a studio, joined by a few lesser lights, and performed some of Monk's greatest compositions.

There's something electric about Monk and Blakey together. Add the tempestuous Coltrane to the mix and you have a keg of gunpowder. They make us realize how pat later performances of these compositions could sound. Particularly exciting is the first attempt at Epistrophy, with Blakey doing some wild drumming even for him. Unfortunately, because of a breakdown after Ray Copeland's trumpet solo, they had to do it again, and the second take sounds a bit more warmed over. There are still great moments, however, such as a powerful Coleman Hawkins tenor solo. The great Bean seems to be telling the youngersters "You are great, but I am still greater, after 30 years." And he was. The only player from his generation to really adapt to bebop, his reputation has faded a bit recently. He's not in the same parthenon as Parker, Coltrane, Davis, etc., but he should be, easily. His knowledge of the harmonic underpinnings of all these tunes is just astonishing, and his knotty solos demonstrate that he understood the function of every note in every chord in every tune. He is one of the most *thorough* musicians in jazz history.

While trumpeter Copeland and alto Gigi Gryce really don't fit in here (Gryce in particular is out of his element...I wonder why he was picked, and can only imagine how much better Sahib Shihab would have been) the rest of the cast is superb, with bassist Wilbur Ware and drummers Blakey and on some tracks Shadow Wilson lending inspired support. On Trinkle Tinkle and Nutty you can hear Trane experimenting with his "sheets of sound" technique, while in other, earlier tracks he is still heavily influenced by hard bop. In other words, you can hear his style change across the album. While there are too many Crepuscule With Nellies for my taste, the rest of the album is superb. Sound is extremely good (despite a few dropouts here and there) for the time, or even by today's standards. And producer Orrin Keepnews' liner notes are informative and make you feel like you are there. While some of the solos meander, and Copeland and Gryce are clearly trying to find their way (and occasionally getting lost, even on the tracks that got used) Trane and Monk and Blakey contribute first-class jazz. After you digest this terrific set, check out the recently-unearthed Monk and Trane at Carnegie Hall.

First I'd like to preface that I am not a musician or Jazz expert, but a Jazz enthusiast. I was a little leary about purchasing this CD because of the bad review and all the outtakes on the discography, but the price was right.

If you get this CD you'll be pleasantly surprised at the audio and musical quality of the songs and alternate takes. The little booklet inside was informative without being verbose.

Highly recommended!

This CD is worth it, and rated a 5, for the "well you needn't" alone, which is one of my favorite pieces of music I have listened to all year. Everything else is a bonus. Blakely is awesome to listen to on drums as well. Fully recommended.

If you prefer your music in an album format, more cohesive way to listen to these sessions is to get "TM with JC" & "Monk's Music" albums. But at bargain basement price (currently $1.99+ shipping) you can't go wrong with this set. Plus, beside all the little snippets, you'll still get 20 min more of great music ("Blues for Tomorrow & "Monk's Mood"). Good sound too, though some (myself included) would prefer 20-bit K2 editions of original albums.

Make no mistake, there is some darn fine playing here. All but two of the takes have been previously released on other recordings. The order in which these takes were laid down were, according to Orrin Keepnews the producer, for the most part maintained on this two-disc set. As such, if you are like me and prefer to listen to CDs from start to finish, the repetition can be a bit tedious. So, you may want to burn your own CD with the takes you like in the order you prefer. As an historic preservation of a recording session with these giants laying down music, this is an outstanding piece of history. Not only does it represent the interplay of some of Jazz music's finest, but by stringing the takes back-to-back it also shows how fine improvisation can result in one simple song sounding so different. Yes, there are a few missteps here. Program them out after you listen through the set, or burn your own disc(s) as you like.

If editing is not your thing, get the Original Jazz Classics/Jazzland "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane" and the aforementioned "Theloniuous Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall." I have all three and am glad I do.

This is a rare window into the working sessions of true music legends and inspired side men. A glimpse of Monk's vision and the empathy of the others to realize those visions. Historic. Revealing. Worth repeated listening.

I had already listened to the Carnegie Hall CD and had to have more. This 2-disc set was just what the doctor ordered.

I was really excited when i saw that this two disk cd was only 3.99. Unfortunately i learned that it was 3.99 because it wasn't that great. If you are a Jazz CD Collector then you should get it for collecting purposes but If you want a really good Monk Album get Monk's Dream, Thelonious in Action, or Solo Monk. Actually just get Essential Monk which has all his great composed standards. This CD just made me appreciate the time Monk had with Charlie Rouse and Johnny Griffin. The 5 versions of Crepuscule With Nellie don't Compare to the verision Monk does with Rouse. But it's cheap and it's not terrible.

A bit disappointing. Not first rate tracks, these were more practice sessions or jam sessions. Maybe relevant to the enthusiast who wants it all, but definitely NOT for the casual jazz afficionado who wants only the best examples of polished works for his enjoyment.

If you prefer the outtakes and the interviews on a movie DVD then you'll love this album. If you like to hear the best of the best then forget it. This album is of no real historic or musical value.