･ LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS
･ NEWLY REMASTERED
･ OUTSTANDING NEW COVERS
･ DIRECT METAL MASTERING
･ 180g LP - AUDIOPHILE PRESSING
Recognition came late for Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) and although the first recorded testimonies of his playing date from 1941 (private live recordings made by Jerry Newman at Minton’s Playhouse and other venues) his studio sessions before 1955 are limited to a series of sparse (but amazing) 1947-52 Blue Note dates; a 1950 session as a sideman for the Charlie Parker- Dizzy Gillespie LP Bird & Diz; a 2-song date that same year backing singer Frankie Passions; a 1954 solo album made in Paris for Vogue and some 1953-54 Prestige dates including sessions with Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis. Monk’s first major record contract was with Riverside though at that time the company was just a small independent label that paled in comparison to the magnitude of Columbia which would be his next step to success. The pianist’s obscurity at the time and his aura as a difficult musicians’ musician led Riverside’s producer Orrin Keepnews to have Monk dedicate his two earliest LPs for the label to interpretations of songs by other composers - a homage to Duke Ellington and a set of well-known standards. The positive reception of these works by the public (the collection of standard tunes constituted The Unique Thelonious Monk) resulted in Keepnews allowing Monk to record his own compositions.

THELONIOUS MONK piano; OSCAR PETTIFORD bass; ART BLAKEY drums. Hackensack New Jersey March 17 & April 3 1956.
“Memories of You” is an unaccompanied piano performance.
Original recordings produced by ORRIN KEEPNEWS
*Bonus track: THELONIOUS MONK unaccompanied piano. Hackensack New Jersey September 22 1954.

SIDE A:
1. LIZA (ALL THE CLOUDS’LL ROLL AWAY) (George & Ira Gershwin-Gus Kahn)
2. MEMORIES OF YOU (Eubie Blake-Andy Razaf)
3. HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (Fats Waller-Andy Razaf)
4. DARN THAT DREAM (Jimmy Van Heusen-Eddie DeLange)
SIDE B:
1. TEA FOR TWO (Vincent Youmans-Irving Caesar)
2. YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL (Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart)
3. JUST YOU JUST ME (Raymond Klages-Jesse Greer)
4. JUST A GIGOLO (Julius Brammer-Irving Caesar-Leonello Casucci) *