



Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Himself (Mono)
Thelonious Monk - piano [click here to see more products featuring Thelonious Monk]
John Coltrane - tenor sax (B4) [click here to see more vinyl featuring John Coltrane]
Wilbur Ware - bass (B4)
Written by E. Y. Harburg (A1), Vernon Duke (A1), Bing Crosby (A2), Victor Young (A2), Ned Washington (A2, A4), Thelonious Monk (A3, B2, B4), George Bassman (A4), Axel Stordahl (B1), Paul Weston (B1), Sammy Cahn (B1), Cootie Williams (B2), Irving Berlin (B3)
1 LP, standard sleeve by Stoughton printing
Original analog Master Tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record Color: Black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12"
Mono
Studio
Record Press : Record Technology Incorporated
Label : Craft Recordings Original Jazz Classics Series
Original Label : Riverside
Recorded on April 12 and 16, 1957 at at Reeves Sound Studios, New York
Engineered by Jack Higgins
Produced by Orrin Keepnews
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Design by Paul Bacon
Photography by Paul Weller
Liner Notes by Orrin Keepnews
Originally released in 1957
Reissued in 2025
Tracks:
Side A:
- April in Paris
- Ghost of a Chance
- Functional
- I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Side B:
- I Should Care
- 'Round Midnight
- All Alone
- Monk's Mood
Reviews:
“On each of his first three recordings for Riverside, Thelonious Monk included a solo piano presentation, and for many listeners, these were the highlights of each recital. And so it was decided that Monk's fourth Riverside recording, Thelonious Himself, would be composed entirely of solo interpretations; well, almost. Like a great actor finding heretofore obscure layers of meaning in a familiar soliloquy, Monk takes familiar themes such as "April in Paris," "I Should Care," and "Almost Alone" and distills them down to a single essence. Where most pianists would simply expand upon the tune (or employ the chord changes as a showcase for their own variations), Monk keeps everything focused on thematic materials. For his final selection, "Monk's Mood," the pianist insisted on adding bassist Wilbur Ware and an up-and-coming tenor saxophonist named John Coltrane. By allowing them to italicize and expand upon his basslines and lead melody, Monk enabled listeners to zero in on the essence of his solo and ensemble styles.” AllMusic Review by Rovi Staff
Ratings:
Allmusic : 4 / 5 ; Discogs: 4.5 / 5