"The Thelonious Monk Quartet and Orchestra at Town Hall"

This is The Jazz Show's last installment on our tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk. This event was a well publicised concert at New York's Town Hall on February 28,1959. The first part of the concert was to be a short set by Monk's working Quartet with Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Taylor on drums. Three tunes played were all Monk staples then a short intermission leading to the main event: The Thelonious Monk Orchestra! Monk with the help of orchestrator Hall Overton created a group of big band arrangements of Monk compositions. The band consisted of three non-soloists, Jay McAllister on tuba, Eddie Bert on trombone and Robert Northern on French Horn. The other players were soloists: trumpeter Donald Byrd, Phil Woods on alto saxophone and Charlie Rouse on tenor and Pepper Adams on baritone. Sam Jones on bass and Arthur Taylor were the rhythm section. The tunes begin with a short version of "Thelonious" then the enigmatic four bar opus called "Friday The Thirteenth". "Monk's Mood" follows and then "Little Rootie Tootie" where Monk's original piano solo from his original 1952 recording is played by the full orchestra! Then an early classic, "Off Minor" and the concert ends with Monk's dedication to his beloved wife with "Crepuscule With Nellie". This event augured well for Monk as the 60's proved to be the decade where the tours, the signing to Columbia Records and the Time Magazine cover and some good financial rewards all happened for him but most of all recognition that Monk was a pianistic and artistic musical giant.