The London Collection: Volume Three

Artist: Thelonius Monk
Label: Black Lion/Da Music
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 031397014226
EAN: 0031397014226
ASIN: B0000015PO

Release Date: 1990-09-01

Related Categories:

Bebop General

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop & Post-Bop

| Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Trinkle Tinkle (Take 2)
The Man I Love
Something In Blue
Introspection (Take 1)
Trinkle Tinkle (Take 1)
Crepuscule With Nellie (Take 3)
Nutty (Take 1)
Introspection (Take 3)
Hackensack (Take 1)
Evidence (Take 1)
Chordially (Improvisation)

Customer Reviews:

Outtakes from the first two volumes........2006-01-31

In 1971, Thelonious Monk recorded two albums in London that would prove to be his last recordings-- issued as "The Londong Collection" with a volume one and two, the first volume consisted of solo piano performances and the second of trio performances with bassist Al McKibbon and drummer Art Blakey. Some years later, a volume 3, made of of outtakes of solo piano and trio performances, surfaced.

The material on here is fairly mixed-- truthfully, some of it is fantastic, not the least of which is Monk's reading of Gershwin's "The Man I Love". A piece not associated with Monk (although he did record it as part of Dizzy Gillespie's big band in the 1940s and a Miles Davis group in the '50s), Monk gives it a delicate and sensitive reading in a straight arrangement that just shines. Similarly, solo blues "omething in Blue" finds a deep mood between the blues and Monk's stride roots, and an energetic trio take of "Hackensack" finds tight performances from the group, particularly an inventive pianist.

Nonetheless though, these are outtakes, and it shows at times-- two takes of "Trinkle, Tinkle" seem nice enough but for the downright irritating presence of a too-long fingernail scratching the piano keys, a solo piano reading of "Introspection" fizzles after the theme statement, and the trio session recording of it (and for that matter the included alternate of "Crepuscule with Nellie") borders on lethargic rather than a full of life slow blues.

It's not really to indicate this isn't a worthwhile purchase-- it probably is, particularly for Monk fans, but it's not a good introduction and it might turn soemone off to either monk of the London sessions. Newcomers to late Monk should seek out volume one and two (newcomers to Monk in general would probably do far better with the superb and recently released Monk/Coltrane "At Carnegie Hall" recording). For those who do need this, dig up the remaster-- it can be found with a little work on the Amazon zShops, the sonic improvement is well worth the extra bucks if you're interested in this, but the more casual fan can skip this one.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Tee Kee & The White Lion Family ~ Tee Kee & The White Lion Family

The Main Refrain ~ Wendy Waldman

Rockabilly Rules: At Their Best Live ~ The Stray Cats

Reeferbilly Blowout ~ Shakin' Pyramids

Beat the Bootleggers: Founders of Steely Dan ~ Becker & Fagen

Just What the Doctor Ordered ~ Medicine Man

Come See About Me ~ Diana Ross & the Supremes

Fearless ~ Vaughn

Domino ~ Domino

From Now On ~ Single Minded Pros