Thelonious Monk – 5 By Monk By 5 (Transparent Orange Vinyl)

Five players, five Monk originals – angular, swinging, and unmistakably Thelonious.

Recorded in 1959 for Riverside, 5 by Monk by 5 expands Monk’s working quartet with the swinging cornet of Thad Jones alongside new tenor voice Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor. The program is all Monk: two brand-new compositions and three ingenious reworkings of earlier classics. The exotic “Jackie-ing” and a definitive quintet “Straight, No Chaser” showcase the two-horn frontline, while the haunting “Ask Me Now” reveals Monk the balladeer. Overflowing with wit, invention, and rhythmic daring, this is a relatively little-known Monk session that ranks with his very best.

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Release Date: 30.10.2026