like rain whispers mist

Live At The It Club (Complete)

Over two and a half hours of music. Nineteen songs, five previously released, eleven restored to how they were originally performed, and three previously unreleased in any form until Live At The It Club (Complete) was released back in 1998 by Columbia / Legacy (Sony). This was my first Monk record when it was first released and still one of my favorites to this day. And just about since that first day, I have been able to sing this performance of "Blue Monk" verbatim.

Nonetheless, here is a definitive document when it comes to Monk and Rouse in a quartet format. I am sure that statement is cause for argument, but these are some of the hardest swinging versions of these tunes recorded beautifully on October 31st and November 1st, 1964. Not long after this version of the quartet formed, but already locked in rhythmically, the corner stone to Monk's music.

The war horses are here in full regalia like "Blue Monk," "'Round Midnight," "Misterioso," as well as many of his other standards reminding one of how many standards he contributed to the book of jazz. But it is the rhythm and propulsion that make this record come alive the way it does. From the onset this evident in Rouse's tenor, but listen to one of Gales' many spots such as in "Well, You Needn't" and you can see Monk spinning and dancing in your mind eye.

Music like this pretty much speaks for itself, and one really doesn't need to get into the 'wrong notes right' dialog that often surfaces with Monk. One thing I do think warrants mentioning is placing this album in context with what else has been released. While Monk and his quartet were performing at the It Club in Los Angeles, California on 10/31 and 11/1, on 10/31 and 11/2 Monk was also recording the album released as Solo Monk which makes for some interesting comparisons in side by side listening. The following day on both 11/3 and 11/4 the quartet performed at The Jazz Workshop which has been similarly released as Live at the Jazz Workshop (Complete) not long after It Club. It's a blessing we have stuff like this floating out there officially and actually in print for new ears to discover.

While listening and locating an image off my hard drive for this post, I came across something I must have saved from Denny Zeitlin's website at some point in the past, an old DownBeat Blindfold Test with Thelonious Monk in 1965 conducted by Leonard Feather (just re-found it here). Click the image to see it enlarged beyond the original scan. It's a fascinating glimpse into some of his contemporaries like Andrew Hill, Bud Powell and even Art Pepper and his reactions to their interpretations of his songs. One might wonder about the motives about some of his comments, but either way, entertaining. And I love the interaction with Nellie.

You can hear the album or a particular tune below by double clicking on a song title. You can visit The Official Thelonious Monk Website here (but only for a chuckle in seeing a website design from the old tripod days of the late 90's, someone should help them out!). An immensely Stronger resource can be found here along with a wealth of liner note material including both the LP and Cd reissue liners. You can pick up Live At The It Club - Complete at Amazon here.

Sound as good to you?

Labels: Listening Session, Musicians H - N