Thelonious Monk - "At The Blackhawk" Analogue Productions

Despite various reissue formats over several decades, the seven original LPs contained in Thelonious Monk - The Riverside Tenor Sessions stood perfectly well on their own at the time of initial release and remain among the highest achievements of a truly golden age. Recorded and released between 1956 and 1961, these seven Monk combo albums were critical in Monk's emergence from a decade of ridicule and neglect to his status at the pinnacle of the jazz pantheon. The sextet sessions from which Quartet Plus Two At the Blackhawk sprung started out as a collaboration. The occasion was Monk's second visit to San Francisco. He took his current quartet - Monk on piano; Charlie House, tenor sax; John ore, bass; and Billy Higgins, drums. Plus he added two of the most impressive horn men available on the West Coast - trumpeter Joe Gordon, and tenor sax player Harold Land. This vibrant live performance took place at the famed San Francisco jazz club in 1960. While the entire album showcases the gr