Paris 1969

This is not Monk at his best, but if you are a fan, this will please you anyway. Charlie Rouse is the only veteran on board, with the notable exception of Philly Joe Jones sitting in on Nutty - worth the price of admission. I loved this version of Epistrophy with the boggie-woggie on the left hand. The performance was recorded for Paris TV, and that's what is on the DVD - how much footage of Monk performances exists? Not enough, for sure, and it is good to have this. Inexplicably, the order of songs is changed on the CD. It's Monk. Enjoy.

such a great album, happy I finally picked it up. great sounding pressing. really cool reading material for while you're listening on the inside of the gatefold as well.

This is a 2013 Blue Note records release containing a CD and DVD of Monk’s quartet playing a 1969 Paris concert at the legendary Salle Pleyel Hall. The CD contains twelve tracks with a total playing time of sixty-one minutes. All the music was composed or co-written by Monk with the exception of ”Don’t Blame Me” and ”I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams”.The play list is a virtual treasure of many of the major works created by this artist. The band members consist of the legendary Charlie Rouse on sax and two young musicians, Austin “Paris” Wright on drums and Nate Hygelund on bass.!969 finds Thelonious Monk, after a long and illustrious career, without a recording contract. Additionally, he’s battling some health issues which are starting to make an impact on his performances. Within a few years, specifically by 1971, Monk will have abandoned his musical vocation never to record or perform in public again.Charlie Rouse, his long time musical colleague and key collaborator within the quartet (eleven years) will depart from the band within months of the 1969 Paris concert.Monk’s time tested and seasoned rhythm section have recently left the band, requiring him to retain the services of two untested musicians.The stakes are elevated for Monk, coming into this 1969 concert and the French audience expectations are very high. Monk is keenly aware that his artistic reputation and legacy is at risk if he fails to deliver.On the plus side, the new quartet had an opportunity to perform in London and Berlin prior to the Paris date. Although no commercial recordings of these performances exist, one can assume the band had ample opportunity to work through their musical challenges and polish their performances.The CD and DVD reveal that Monk is equal to the challenge. His playing is practically flawless and the video reveals a much more focused Monk then what had been observed from previous sixties dates. The rhythm section compensates for their inexperience by an unbridled energy and enthusiasm for the work.Charlie Rouse’s solos are superb and complement every note of Monk’s material. The quartet delivers a quality performance throughout the entire set, never wavering. One suspects the Monk and Charlie “stepped up their game” to compensate to some degree for the inexperienced rhythm section.An added bonus is the special guest appearance of Philly Joe Jones. He takes command of the drum kit for the playing of”Nutty”. His drum solo on Monk’s ten minute composition is exceptional. No wonder major artists Miles Davis and Bill Evans declared Philly Joe to be their all time favorite drummer. Observing his legendary cross rhythm on the symbols was pure musical pleasure.Jazz fans are fortunate indeed to have this release. It stands as a testament to Monks triumphant, creative contributions that night, so long ago in Paris 1969.Gratitude should be extended to Doug Sax for the outstanding sound remastering. Kudos should also be offered to Robin D. G. Kelly for the extensive and thought provoking liner notes.

Wonder if the pressing is from analogue source. The vinyl itself is an immaculate pressing. Music is of course fantastic. Monk=genius.

A very fine late-period performance of material familiar to any Monk fan. More Monk in the world is always a good thing. It would still get five stars from me without the DVD, but it is great to see as well as hear.

The received wisdom was that Monk was in decline at this point of his career. This set clearly disproves this notion. This is well worth owning and bears repeated listening. The more you listen, the more you receive as a reward-it's that simple. No matter how much or how little Monk you own "Paris 1969" is worth the investment.

Monk was supposedly in decline when he did this gig in the city of light with some newcomers in his rhythm section. They soundsurprisingly confident, as does Monk himself. The playing is tight, playful, and full of unexpected energy and precision. Paris 1969is pretty essential for any Monk fan, or for anyone else just interested in jazz.

Monk was effectively washed up after the events of 1968: after making the dreadful big band record Monk's Blues, he lost half his band and his Columbia contract and found himself coping with a lengthy illness. Eventually, he found himself on the road in Europe with Charlie Rouse and a rhythm section who wasn't even born when he started releasing records. What could the audience in Paris on this 1969 evening have been expecting?Whatever that might be, surely they left pleased. Everybody is on here, not the least Monk himself, who gets a rousing ovation for his terrific solo numbers, including perhaps his best version of "Don't Blame Me." The band surprises, too, with Paris Wright giving an extended drum solo in the first "Bright Mississippi" and some real soul from Rouse throughout. There is also a rousing cameo from Philly Joe Jones, and this gives "Nutty" a good spark to end the set. Admittedly, the "captured from the TV show" audio is not as good as it could be, but it's better than most of the bootlegs, and the DVD is entertaining. Overall, it suggests that Monk is on his way back, just needing some good new tunes and a label willing to work with him. That's not where this story ends, unfortunately. Rouse left soon after this tour, the rhythm section fell into relative obscurity, and Monk himself took only intermittent work, excepting his early 70's "Giants of Jazz" tour that did, thankfully, give us some terrific final studio recordings as the tour passed through England. But prior to this release, we had only snippets of the 69 band, and now we can validate that they could really cook up a storm on stage. For those new to live Monk, start with Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall, and then move forward to the Johnny Griffin supported Thelonious Monk in Action and Misterioso, as well as Live at the It Club: Complete. But if you're looking to cap off your Monk collection with a snapshot of where he was at the end of the sixties, this is a good place to be.