MOG

In 1964, the year this previously unreleased set was recorded, Monk was a certified jazz superstar. Then two years into what would be a ten-year association with Columbia Records, the year began with Monk gracing the cover of the February 28, 1964 issue of TIME Magazine - only the third jazz musician in history to do so (bonus round: name the other two).

So all of this is to say Monk was about as flush with mainstream success as he ever would be when his quartet, also featuring Charlie Rouse on alto, Steve Swallow on bass, and Ben Riley on drums performed this set at the Monterey Jazz Festival on September 20, 1964.

This record is mostly a no-brainer: unreleased live Monk, featuring two of his three most-renowned sidemen in Rouse and Riley (who also feature on the stellar releases Live At The It Club

and Live at the Jazz Workshop

), recorded at a peak in his career.

Ben Riley's drumming is especially tight and propulsive, check out the versions of Blue Monk and Rhythm-A-Ning - the latter of which also features a fine, fine Monk solo starting around 4 minutes in. A must-hear.

One disappointment on the disc is the closing take on Monk's signature Straight, No Chaser. On the track his band is rounded out by the "Monterey Jazz Festival Workshop" featuring several more horn players and to these ears the added instrumentation only serves to cause the music to be weighed down and plod along. Given that about 11 of the 66 minutes of the music on this release is devoted to Straight... you might think twice, especially of you have the above-mentioned live releases from this era, but if you are a Monk devotee, there is a place in your collection for this one.

Posted on 08/20/2007