Thelonious Monk – Thelonious Alone In San Francisco (2LP, 45RPM, unsealed)
Rarity - Unsealed (Mint conditions)
Piano – Thelonious Monk
Written by Thelonious Monk (A1-3, C1-2, D2), Tom Adair, Matt Dennis (B1), Ralph Rainger (B2), Leo Robin (B2), Irving Berlin (C3), Jack Maskill (D1), Harry Richman (D1), Pete Wendling (D1)
2 LP, standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 45RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Live
Record Press : unspecified
Label : Analogue Productions
Original Label : Riverside
Recorded October 21 and 22, 1959 at Fugazi Hall, San Francisco, CA
Engineered by Reice Hamel
Produced by Orrin Keepnews
Remastered by Kevin Gray, Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering
Artwork cover by Ken Braren, Paul Bacon
Photography by William Claxton
Liner Notes by Orrin Keepnews
Originally released in 1959
Reissued in 2006
Tracks:
Side A:
1. Blue Monk
2. Ruby, My Dear
3. Round Lights
Side B:
1. Everything Happens To Me
2. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Heart
Side C:
1. Bluehawk
2. Pannonica
3. Remember
Side D:
1. There's Danger In Your Eyes, Cherie
2. Reflections
Reviews :
“With the robust ambience of Fugazi Hall in San Francisco at his disposal, Thelonious Monk recorded ten unaccompanied tracks over two days to create a long-awaited sequel to his immensely endearing Thelonious Himself long-player. As had become somewhat customary for Monk, he brought with him a healthy sampling from his voluminous back catalog, cover tunes, as well as a few new compositions. What is most immediately striking about these recordings is the rich and accurate sound stage at Fugazi Hall. The overtones are rich and thoughtful in their ability to animate Monk's recreations of some of his most endearing works, such as the pair that opens this set. "Blue Monk" still retains the proud stride and walking blues heritage of previous renderings. Adding a bit of off-tempo improvisation, Monk propels and emphasizes the rhythmic swing even harder. He is obviously also enjoying what he is hearing. The audible maturity guiding Monk through the familiar, albeit offbeat, chord progressions of "Ruby, My Dear" is striking. His nimble reflexes and split-second timing render this version superior. Again, the sound of the hall offers even more to enjoy from this performance. It is unfortunate that the playful solitude of "Round Lights" was never revisited. This freeform composition is framed within a blues structure, yet reveals all of the slightly askew freedom of a Monk original. The recreation of an old 1920s hit, "There's Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie," is another of the highlights from Thelonious Alone in San Francisco that was never recorded again by Monk. The noir qualities are immeasurably enhanced by Monk's oblique phrasings as well as the eerie resonance of the Fugazi. This is an absolute must-own recording -- Monk enthusiast or not.” Allmusic Review by Lindsay Planer.
"The main album, whose cover-photo of Monk on a local streetcar is reproduced on this public-domain reissue, was done in 1959 at the same time as Riverside's famous In San Francisco by Cannonball Adderley. Compared to that exciting and populist affair, this is a personal and introspective recital which doesn't raise the temperature but gets close to the heart of Monk's style. The breakdown of the contents is already revealing, in that there are no fewer than three blues in B-flat, including a sprightly ‘Blue Monk’, the largely chordal theme of ‘Round Lights’ and the slow-medium ‘Bluehawk’ (whose title hints at the club where the pianist was appearing with Charlie Rouse and a local rhythm-section). Then, alongside three of his own best ballads, Monk addresses four songbook items, two of them familiar standards (‘Everything Happens To Me’, at 5'40” the longest track, and Irving Berlin's ‘Remember’) plus two obscurities – ‘You Took The Words Right Out Of My Heart’ (memorably revisited 36 years laterby the Paul Motian trio) and ‘There's Danger In Your Eyes, Cherie’, a minor slip in the latter occasioning the only retake.
The bonus material is both earlier and later, including four slightly throwaway solos from the 1961 quartet's European tour, also originally issued on Riverside. The early set is less easily found elsewhere, being Monk's trio appearance at the 1958 Newport festival, with the bass solo that was cut out for Jazz On A Summer's Day being restored and with theboat-race comments safely removed. All of this well-recorded programme illustrates the pianist's thoughtful approach and, even when not always premeditated, his still radical voicings remain idiosyncratic and inimitable. For all his eventually wide and beneficial influence, there was only one Monk." JazzWise, Review by Brian Priestley.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4.5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.87 / 5 ; The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide : 5 / 5 ; Encyclopedia of Popular Music : 4 / 5 ; The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings : 4 / 4 ; DownBeat : 5 / 5