Monk's last solo piano record.
Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 11/04/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In the fall of 1971, three years after his last studio effort, Thelonious Monk joined a tour of Europe with a band billed as the Giants of Jazz. While in Europe, he entered a studio in London for a recording session featuring Monk as both a solo pianist and leading a trio. These would ultimately prove to be the last recordings that Monk would make.
"The London Collection Volume 1" represents the solo piano material-- Mon seems particularly inspired, as though he almost knew this was his last chance. An even split of originals and standards, primarily ballads, the composer is in a wistful mood. The pieces betray a stride and early jazz influence-- the spirits of Jelly Roll Morton and James P. Johnson are stamped all over the readings of "Trinkle Tinkle", "My Melancholy Baby" and particularly, new original "Blue Sphere". The other aspect of this music is an overt lyricism in the playing-- Monk eats the ballads alive, sticking to a more conventional sound for several of them-- this is the great solo piano reading of "Crepuscule with Nellie"-- delicate and fractured, yet beautiful and flawless, and "Darn that Dream" gets a sensitive reading that finds Monk operating in a space quite unique for him-- that of the conventional ballad pianist (although it IS unmistakably Monk). And pieces about his son ("Little Rootie Tootie") and niece ("Jackie-ing") get lovely and powerful readings that are so firmly lodged in the Monk school that they'll catch you off guard if you're not ready for them.
This reissue contains flawless sound-- it's definitely worth the upgrade from the old (black covered) issue. For those curious, Volume 2 (the trio session with Al McKibbon and Art Blakey) and Volume 3 (outtakes from both) are available overseas, but it'll require a bit of digging. I managed all three here on Amazon's zShops.
This is one of the great releases by Thelonious Monk. He's in brilliant form, and the music is fantastic. Highly recommended."
Top Quality Solo Monk
B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 04/15/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I agree with the comments of the Amazon reviewer, but would add just a couple of comments.These 1971 recordings are from the last studio session that Monk ever made. As well as a series of sensational trios with Art Blakey, he recorded a series of solos, both of his own compositions and of some of his favorite standards. Recorded exceptionally well, these tracks capture Monk's unique piano touch, and find him in a relaxed, swinging mood. "Little Rootie Tootie" is given a delightfully relaxed performance, and "Trinkle Tinkle" & "Blue Sphere" reveals his stride roots. "Loverman" and "Darn That Dream" are given characteristically hesitant and exploratory readings. However, for me the standout tracks is "Nice Work". Monk always had a strong sense of humour, and this quirky performance, a mixture of stride and Shostakovich, is enough to make you laugh out loud. Perhaps not on a par with his Blue Note or Riverside band recordings, this CD is a must for those who admire Monk's solo piano style."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1