Thelonious Monk Blue Note Sessions


's first sessions as a bandleader were recorded between 1947 and 1952, and released on Blue Note records as a series of 78 RPM singles. These singles were then compiled in later years—with additional performances from the sessions—into long-playing album formats. As Monk's reputation and fame grew, the sessions were recompiled again and again into more complete configurations. This article details various releases of these sessions.

The Sessions

The Blue Note recordings were made over the course of six sessions. "Versions" refers only to the number of eventually-released performances; other takes may have been recorded.
All compositions by Thelonious Monk unless otherwise noted.

Session 1: October 15, 1947

  1. "Humph"
  2. "Evonce"
  3. "Suburban Eyes"
  4. "Thelonious"

    Session 2: October 24, 1947

  6. "Nice Work If You Can Get It"
  7. * Ira Gershwin wrote lyrics for this song, but these recordings are instrumental.
  8. "Ruby, My Dear"
  9. "Well You Needn't"
  10. "April in Paris"
  11. * Yip Harburg wrote lyrics for this song, but these recordings are instrumental.
  12. "Off Minor"
  13. "Introspection"

    Session 3: November 21, 1947

  15. "In Walked Bud"
  16. "Monk's Mood"
  17. "Who Knows? "
  18. "'Round Midnight"

    Session 4: July 2, 1948

  20. "Evidence"
  21. "Misterioso"
  22. "Epistrophy"
  23. "I Mean You"
  24. "All the Things You Are"
  25. "I Should Care"

    Session 5: July 23, 1951

  27. "Four in One"
  28. "Criss Cross"
  29. "Eronel"
  30. "Straight, No Chaser"
  31. "Ask Me Now"
  32. "Willow Weep for Me"

    Session 6: May 30, 1952

  34. "Skippy"
  35. "Hornin' In"
  36. "Sixteen"
  37. "Carolina Moon"
  38. "Let's Cool One"
  39. "I'll Follow You"
  40. * Roy Turk wrote lyrics for this song, but this recording is instrumental.

    Personnel

Singles released from the Blue Note sessions include the following:

Blue Note 500 series (10 inch 78 rpm)

''Genius of Modern Music">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_1">Genius of Modern Music'' (Blue Note LP 5002, 1951)

Side 1:
  1. 'Round Midnight
  2. Off Minor
  3. Ruby, My Dear
  4. I Mean You
Side 2:
  1. Thelonious
  2. Epistrophy
  3. Well, You Needn't
  4. Misterioso

    ''Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_2">Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2'' (Blue Note LP 5009, 1952)

Side 1:
  1. Four in One
  2. Who Knows?
  3. Nice Work if You Can Get It
  4. In Walked Bud
Side 2:
  1. Humph
  2. Straight, No Chaser
  3. Suburban Eyes
  4. Ask Me Now

    ''Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes">Wizard_of_the_Vibes">Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes'' (Blue Note LP 5011, 1952)

Side 1:
  1. Tahiti
  2. Lillie
  3. Criss-Cross
  4. Willow Weep for Me
Side 2:
  1. What's New?
  2. Bags' Groove
  3. On the Scene
  4. Eronel
Tracks A1-A2, B1-B3 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

1956 Series of 12 inch LPs (monochrome photo covers)

''Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet">Wizard_of_the_Vibes">Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet'' (Blue Note BLP-1509, 1956)

Side 1:
  1. Lillie
  2. Tahiti
  3. What's New?
  4. Bags' Groove
  5. On the Scene
  6. Willow, Weep for Me
Side 2:
  1. Criss Cross
  2. Eronel
  3. Misterioso
  4. Evidence
  5. Lillie
  6. Four in One
Tracks A1-A5, B5 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

''Genius of Modern Music Volume One">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_1">Genius of Modern Music Volume One'' (Blue Note BLP-1510, 1956, yellow cover)

Side 1:
  1. 'Round Midnight
  2. Off Minor
  3. Ruby my Dear
  4. I Mean You
  5. April in Paris
  6. In Walked Bud
Side 2:
  1. Thelonious
  2. Epistrophy
  3. Misterioso
  4. Well You Needn't
  5. Introspection
  6. Humph

    ''Genius of Modern Music Volume Two">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_2">Genius of Modern Music Volume Two'' (Blue Note BLP-1511, 1956, red cover)

  7. Carolina Moon
  8. Hornin' In
  9. Skippy
  10. Let's Cool One
  11. Suburban Eyes
  12. Evonce
Side 2:
  1. Straight, No Chaser
  2. Four in One
  3. Nice Work
  4. Monk's Mood
  5. Who Knows?
  6. Ask Me Now

    1989 CD Recompilations

These CD releases use the cover art of the 1956 twelve inch LPs, but redistribute the performances between the volumes into a strict chronological order, with alternate takes immediately following the first-released takes.
A 2-CD set called The Complete Genius, featuring the 1956 yellow cover art, includes all of the Blue Note sessions, ordered in a similar manner.

''Genius of Modern Music Volume One">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_1">Genius of Modern Music Volume One'' (uses 1956 yellow cover)

  1. Humph
  2. Evonce
  3. Evonce
  4. Suburban Eyes
  5. Suburban Eyes
  6. Thelonious
  7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
  8. Nice Work If You Can Get It
  9. Ruby, My Dear
  10. Ruby, My Dear
  11. Well, You Needn't
  12. Well, You Needn't
  13. April in Paris
  14. April in Paris
  15. Off Minor
  16. Introspection
  17. In Walked Bud
  18. Monk's Mood
  19. Who Knows
  20. 'Round Midnight
  21. Who Knows
1-6 recorded Oct 15, 1947
7-16 recorded Oct 24 1947
17-21 recorded Nov 21, 1947

''Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet">Wizard_of_the_Vibes">Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet'' (uses 1956 red cover)

  1. Tahiti
  2. Lillie
  3. Lillie
  4. Bags' Groove
  5. What's New?
  6. What's New?
  7. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
  8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
  9. On the Scene
  10. Evidence
  11. Misterioso
  12. Misterioso
  13. Epistrophy
  14. I Mean You
  15. All the Things You Are
  16. I Should Care
  17. I Should Care
10-17 recorded July 2, 1948
1-9 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

''Genius of Modern Music Volume Two">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_2">Genius of Modern Music Volume Two'' (uses 1956 red cover)

  1. Four in One
  2. Four in One
  3. Criss Cross
  4. Criss Cross
  5. Eronel
  6. Straight, No Chaser
  7. Ask Me Now
  8. Ask Me Now
  9. Willow Weep for Me
  10. Skippy
  11. Skippy
  12. Hornin' In
  13. Hornin' In
  14. Sixteen
  15. Sixteen
  16. Carolina Moon
  17. Let's Cool One
  18. I'll Follow You
1-9 recorded July 23, 1951
10-18 recorded May 30, 1952

2001 CD Recompilations

The sessions were recompiled, under the same title, on CD in 2001 as part of the RVG series, remastered by Rudy Van Gelder from the original session lacquers. The cover art for the original 8-song 10 inch LPs was used, regardless of whether the specific tracks listed were actually included on the corresponding new volumes. While the earlier CDs grouped all takes of each title together, the recompilation put the alternate takes at the end of each session.
The July 2, 1948 session was released on Blue Note CD Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes, which also used its respective 1952 10-inch LP cover art.

''Genius of Modern Music Vol. 1">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_1">Genius of Modern Music Vol. 1'' (2001)

  1. Humph
  2. Evonce
  3. Suburban Eyes
  4. Thelonious
  5. Evonce
  6. Suburban Eyes
  7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
  8. Ruby, My Dear
  9. Well, You Needn't
  10. April in Paris
  11. Off Minor
  12. Introspection
  13. Nice Work If You Can Get It
  14. Ruby, My Dear
  15. Well, You Needn't
  16. April in Paris
  17. In Walked Bud
  18. Monk's Mood
  19. Who Knows?
  20. 'Round Midnight
  21. Who Knows?
1-6 recorded Oct 15, 1947
7-16 recorded Oct 24 1947
17-21 recorded Nov 21, 1947

''Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes">Wizard_of_the_Vibes">Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes'' (2001)

  1. Tahiti
  2. Lillie
  3. Bags' Groove
  4. What's New
  5. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
  6. On the Scene
  7. Lillie
  8. What's New
  9. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
  10. Evidence
  11. Misterioso
  12. Epistrophy
  13. I Mean You
  14. Misterioso
  15. All the Things You Are
  16. I Should Care
  17. I Should Care
10-17 recorded July 2, 1948
1-9 are from an April 7, 1952 session which does not feature Thelonious Monk.

''Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2">Genius_of_Modern_Music:_Volume_2">Genius of Modern Music Vol. 2'' (2001)

  1. Four in One
  2. Criss Cross
  3. Eronel
  4. Straight, No Chaser
  5. Ask Me Now
  6. Willow Weep for Me
  7. Four in One
  8. Criss Cross
  9. Ask Me Now
  10. Skippy
  11. Hornin' In
  12. Sixteen
  13. Carolina Moon
  14. Let's Cool One
  15. I'll Follow You
  16. Skippy
  17. Hornin' In
  18. Sixteen
1-9 recorded July 23, 1951
10-18 recorded May 30, 1952

Other Compilations in Brief

''The Complete Genius'' (Blue Note 2 LP set, BN-LA 579-H2)

1976 compilation featuring all takes released in 1940s and 1950s.
Sessions presented in this order: 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5.

''The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Thelonious Monk'' ([Mosaic Records] 4 LP Boxed Set, MR4-101)

Limited edition 1983 set was the first appearance of most of the alternate takes. Ordering is similar to later Blue Note 2-CD Complete Genius.

''The Complete Genius'' (Blue Note Japan, 2 CD set)

Similar in visual appearance and sequencing to the 1989 releases, combines Genius of Modern Music volumes 1 & 2, with the 1948 Milt Jackson section properly placed in-between. Features the yellow Volume 1 cover from 1956. This may only have been released by Blue Note Japan.

''The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Thelonious Monk'' (Blue Note, 4 CD Boxed Set)

1994 compilation with similar cover to Mosaic LP set includes all takes from the six sessions, together with two tracks, "Reflections" and "Misterioso", recorded with Sonny Rollins on April 14, 1957, and the same five of the tracks recorded live at the Five Spot Café with John Coltrane in the late summer of 1958 that had previously been released as The Thelonious Monk Quartet featuring John Coltrane: Live at the Five Spot: Discovery!.