Description

Monk In Tokyo Thelonious Monk (p); Charlie Rouse (ts); Butch Warren (b); Frankie Dunlop (dr)

When this double album appeared on the shelves in the jazz section in the 1970s, the Monk had all but disappeared from the scene. Concerts? Far from it! Something new from the studio? No way! All attempts by various managers, festival organisers and club owners to entice Monk away from the tv set in his living room to perform old or new works on the worlds stages fell on deaf ears.
The 1963 tour with appearances in Japan and the resulting album offered the same old works, but the solidly played favourites such as Just A Gigolo or Im Gettin Sentimental Over You made the audience and record collectors alike sit up and listen. And werent Blue Monk, Epistrophy and Bemsha Swing old favourites too often played and often heard?
Happy memories, then, for those Japanese fans who were in Tokyos Sankei Hall on 21 May 1963! And happy listeners in 2016 too, when they add this LP to their collection. What more does a Monk fan (and who isnt) want?

Recording: May 1963 live in Sankei Hall, Tokyo