Thelonious Monk Orchestra At Town Hall was recorded in 1959 and released on Riverside Records. This recording is one of Monk's finest in my opinion. Monk's compositions lend themselves to this kind of sound. Also for 1959 this recording sounds fantastic. It has been remastered, but the original tapes had to have sounded good in order for the remaster to sound good.

There isn't a bad song here. Monk is joined by the following musicians: Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Donald Byrd (trumpet); Robert Northern (French horn); Eddie Bert (trombone); Jay McAllister (tuba); Sam Jones (bass); and Art Taylor (drums). What a killer band!

This concert is also an oddity in the Monk catalog as he never recorded again with a band of this caliber or size again. If you enjoy this I would suggest getting "Big Band And Quartet In Concert," but I would seriously pick the other one up first, because "Big Band..." is out-of-print now. "At Town Hall" is in print, but it won't be before too long I'm sure.

If you're a Monk fan then pick this one up right now.

The word "Unique" is overused in art and commerce, but this live, one-time event (1959)truly deserves it. In concept and execution it's a marvel of imagination brought to life by producer Orrin Keepnews.

Here are the literal solos of Thelonious Monk as orchestrated for a 10 piece orchestra, including Monk himself. It's as if each instrument was a finger playing the lines and chords exactly as Monk had recorded them some years earlier. Contemporary Music Hall Overton was responsible for realizing the daunting task and he did his job flawlessly.

In addition, there's ample solo space for the superb instrumentalists to create their own statements.

This is a "Must Have" for any fan of Monk or anyone with a mind open enough to embrace a genuinely unique musical experience.

Bud Spangler,

Musician, Producer, Broadcaster

Bud Spangler Productions

If you know the work of Thelonious Monk, buy this CD. This is Monk is a big band setting, with arrangements coordinated between Monk and Overton Park. The arrangements are stylish and Monk's band is in outstanding form, especially Charlie Rouse, Pepper Adams on baritone sax and Donald Byrd on trumpet. For the best of Monk, I have found that the live recordings have more energy, and Monk seems more focused. I also recomment Monk and Coltrane at Carnegie Hall.

I'm not a Monk expert, so please take that into consideration. I heard an NPR program discussing this landmark concert and liked what I heard. The recording is very interesting in its rarity and quality. If you're a jazz student, I would think you'd want this in your collection.