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11 June 2009
Thelonious Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings
1 of 1 found this helpful Thelonious Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings is an awesome set of 15 discs, containing the entirety of Thelonious Monk's output during his 6 years on the Riverside label. Arguably Monk's most creative period, the performances here are nothing less than historical documents, important for their contributions to the language that we know today as "jazz".
A true original, Monk was initially shunned by record labels, critics, other musicians and jazz fans alike for being too primitive & untrained. This box shows just how wrong the naysayers were. A veritable who's who of (what was at the time) "modern jazz" accompany Monk on these performances, validating Monk's influence after initially being on the outside of the jazz world. If players like John Coltrane & Sonny Rollins count you as a mentor, it's safe to say you made it.
For whatever reasons, Thelonious Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings is now out of print. Knowing how labels work, we could well see the material surface again someday, probably in a different package and with "upgraded" sound. But then again, we may not. I jumped on the copy I found on ebay - and am glad I did. If you have a chance to own this set, and you consider yourself a jazz fan - or just a serious lover of good, original music - then I would recommend snagging this gem.
It is for sure we won't see the likes of Thelonious Monk again. Whether we will ever see the material in this set collected in one place again is the question. Get it if you have the chance . . .
11 June 2009
Miles Davis CHRONICLE: The Complete Prestige Recording
1 of 1 found this helpful Unfortunately for this item, "excellent" was the best option I had to judge the set. Too bad, because "excellent" is simply inadequate when reviewing the Miles Davis CHRONICLE: The Complete Prestige Recordings.
This is, amidst the glut of everyday, every week, every month re-issues, probably one of the single greatest historical documents ever collected. If you know music, you know Miles Davis; if you know Miles Davis, you know that the period prior to his forays into modal and cool jazz was one of the most fertile of his career. Miles simply was on fire - as a musician and as a bandleader.
Thelonious Monk. Sonny Rollins. Red Garland. Sonny Stitt. Kenny Clarke. Max Roach. Art Blakey. And on and on. These are the sidemen, the contributors to some of the most haunting and beautiful music ever created by human beings. And in the middle of it all is Miles, tip-toeing on eggshells with the most gorgeously frail trumpet sound ever produced.
Many of the players went on to greatness after working with Miles early on, solidifying Davis as - along with Duke Ellington - one of the greatest bandleaders in jazz history.
These 8 CD's contain some of the coolest jazz ever recorded, before "cool jazz" was its own genre. Imagine a ballplayer hitting a home run every time up and you can understand the quality of the performances contained in this box. This was a young & hungry Miles, flexing his muscles as a leader and coaxing greatness from those around him. You simply cannot be a music fan without appreciating the depth & scope of greatness contained in this box. Music like this will never be made again.
Fortunately for the interested, this set is still in print and available; it lists, I think, for around $125.00 (US). I found it on ebay for much, much less and I couldn't be happier.
To all the music lovers out there: Search for this one. Used, new - whatever you can get your hands on. It will be worth every penny you pay for it, and every minute you spend searching. The label, if smart, will keep this title in print into prepetuity. But you never know. One day it's here and then - BOOM! - it's out of print.
Get it while you can.
09 June 2011
Gnarly, DUDE!
Bought this CD because - along with it's 3 companion volumes - it was advertised as the equal to the COWABUNGA! 4-CD surf box set released more than a decade ago. The COWABUNGA! box is a bit more diverse - but then you know that going in, when the title of your compilation is LOST LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR. Very few vocal selections and a myopic (in the best sense of the word) focus on surf giutar! Guitar! GUITAR!, this set is, in its own way, just as compelling as the excellent COWABUNGA! set.
If twangy reverb is your thang, and you have an unnatural hankerin' for the simple, Gidget-Frankie-&-Annette days of summer, then you owe it to yourself to track down all 4 volumes in the LOST LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR series. For that matter, seek out the COWABUNGA! set, too. All 8 CD's will have you hangin' ten - whether on the edge of your bed in Topeka or shootin' the curl at Waimea Bay . . .