Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Himself (LP)

Orrin Keepnews' comment: "You could say this is an album of unadulterated Monk. Like most generalizations, that would be a bit of an oversimplification, but the kernel of truth is there. For, with the deliberate exception of the last selection, this is literally Thelonious Himself-Monk, alone in the recording studio, playing very personal versions of some standards and some of his own pieces. As you might expect, the overall tone of this album is reflective. The tempos are relaxed, and there's plenty of that sometimes deceptive feeling of searching for an idea to explore while playing, almost unexpectedly finding in a single note or phrase the impetus for a full chorus to follow. It's a feeling that often gives Monk's playing the quality of thinking aloud. It's not that he sounds unprepared or surprised by the directions he takes; rather, it's as if he's constantly discovering and rediscovering new and remembered patterns of music within himself." Orrin on the Keepnews Collection: This is a series of reissues largely focused on my incredibly long (even for me) career as a jazz producer, during which I have contributed to the careers of some of the most significant jazz musicians of our time. The series follows a set of ground rules. In each case, the original product is preserved - the cover, the notes and all the originally recorded content in the exact original order - and is now presented with the sonic benefits of 24-bit remastering from the original master tapes. Alternative takes or originally unreleased numbers appear as bonus tracks where available. In some cases I have added a never-used version to the full line-up, perhaps recorded forty or more years ago. As a result, if you occasionally hear a "new" performance by a long-dead artist for the first time, you can be sure that I, too, consider this a truly wonderful addition. And finally, I've written a complete set of new commentaries in which I rummage through my memories of those often very good old days to tell a few more stories about this remarkable music and its people. On the whole, I am justifiably and unwaveringly proud of the result. (concordmusicgroup. com) This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI, with all-analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.