Please note: This is a customer return and the record has not been tested or inspected for playability. It may have imperfections, including: warping, scratches or other damage which may have occurred during the making, use, storage or shipment of the record and no guarantees to the playability of any given song or any of the records included in this listing is given. This is a special liquidation sale - the merchandise is sold AS IS and no warranties or guarantees are given, made or implied regarding the playability of the record during or after this sale or the quality, shape, form or function of the album cover. NO RETURNS, REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES WILL BE GIVEN FOR ITEM NOT AS DESCRIBED. See photos for additional information.
Thelonious Himself stands as one of the most intimate documents in jazz history — Monk alone at the piano, recorded over two April 1957 sessions in New York, with nowhere to hide and nothing to prove. The result is a masterclass in idiosyncratic genius: angular phrases, deliberate silences, and a harmonic language entirely his own. The closing track brings in a young John Coltrane on tenor and Wilbur Ware on bass for a reading of "Monk's Mood" that alone justifies the album's existence. Discogs collectors rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 63 ratings — high praise for a record this uncompromising.
This 2025 reissue returns the album to vinyl under the original Riverside Records imprint, keeping faith with Orrin Keepnews's original production. A faithful way to own one of the cornerstones of solo jazz piano on a format that suits Monk's sparse, percussive touch.
Original Release: 1957 | Reissue: 2025 | Label: Riverside Records | Producer: Orrin Keepnews | Genre: Jazz | Format: LP | Edition: Reissue | Condition: Used
Community Rating: 4.8/5.0 (63 ratings on Discogs)
Tracklist
Side A
A1. April In Paris
A2. Ghost Of A Chance
A3. Functional
A4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Side B
B1. I Should Care
B2. 'Round Midnight
B3. All Alone
B4. Monk's Mood
Critical Acclaim
- Disc: 5/5 — Tony Hall
- The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings: 4/4 — Richard Cook
A must-have for fans of Thelonious Monk and jazz and instrumental vinyl collectors.
