Search - Thelonious Monk :: Live at Monterey Jazz Festival '63, Vol.1 [MFSL Audiophile Original Master Recording]

Excellent Monk performance

Christopher Henrici | Washington, DC United States | 05/07/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the line up that plays on Monk's Columbia album "Criss Cross". In my opinion this lesser known release has better performance and sound quality than "Live at the It club". Monk, Rouse and the rythm section are fluid on this one. It is oop but not immpossible to find, and maybe it will be reissued under the current program of the Monterey jazz foundation, providing us with archival releases and supporting jazz education, and which so far has given us Miles Davis 1963, and Thelonious Monk 1964, along with others. Keep 'em coming."

Both Volumes are a Delight

Karl W. Nehring | Ostrander, OH USA | 08/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For Monk fans, these Mo-Fis are must-haves. Wow! After releasing so many mediocre rock albums, Mobile Fidelity came through with not one but TWO shiny gold CDs by the enigmatic, lovable Thelonious Monk (accompanied in these live recordings by Charlie Rouse on sax, John Ore on bass, and Frank Dunlop on drums). Wow! Volume 1 starts off with "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and then offers three Monk originals, "Well You Needn't," "Evidence," and "I Mean You." Wow! Volume 2 brings us one cover, "Sweet and Lovely," plus four Monk tunes, "Light Blue," "Criss Cross," "Epistrophy," and Bright Mississippi." Wow!



Either disk can stand by itself as a jazz treasure, but the real Monk fan will really have to get both. I seldom recommend premium-priced CDs, but here I am, enthusiastically recommending two of them. Wow! Alas, MFSL is gone, so you nay have a devil of a time finding them. Bummer!"