Thelonious Monk - The Complete Albums Collection 1957-61 (2015)

MONKS RIVERSIDE RECORDINGS ACROSS 5 DISCS 10 COMPLETE ORIGINAL ALBUMS 1957 1961 Following a stream of magnificent and hugely influential albums in the early to mid-1950s, the latter part of the decade and the lead up towards his signing for Columbia Records proved a major transitional period for jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk. As the 1950s drew to a close, Monk's relationship with Riverside was beginning to sour over disagreements concerning royalty payments. The era was had not been devoid of its notable releases, though, with the likes of Thelonious Himself and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (both 1957) being lauded as jazz masterpieces. Monk even appeared in the sideman role on Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk, which was released on Atlantic in the very same year. Despite all of this, he would not record another studio album for Riverside after 5 by Monk by 5 in June 1959, and a significant number of live albums followed, which showcased a variety of legendary performances across the USA, France and Italy. After extended negotiations, Monk signed in 1962 to Columbia Records, one of the big four American record labels of the day along with RCA Victor, Capitol, and Decca. As had been the case with Riverside, his period with Columbia Records contains many live albums, including Miles and Monk at Newport (1963), Live at the It Club and Live at the Jazz Workshop, both recorded in 1964, the latter not being released until 1982. After the departure of Ore and Dunlop, the remainder of the rhythm section in Monk's quartet during the bulk of his Columbia period was Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums, both of whom joined in 1964, Along with Rouse, they remained with Monk for over four years, his longest-serving band. Monk had disappeared from the scene by the mid-1970s, and made only a small number of appearances during the final decade of his life. His last studio recordings as a leader were made in November 1971 for the English Black Lion label, near the end of a worldwide tour with the Giants of Jazz, a group which included Dizzy Gillespie, Kai Winding, Sonny Stitt, Al McKibbon and Art Blakey.