THE FRANCIS WOLFF COLLECTION: LP 180g VINYL IN GATEFOLD SLEEVE Art Blakey was present on both Thelonious Monk's first and last studio sessions, spanning a period of 24 years from the 1947 quintet and trio recordings to the last sets taped in London in 1971, when Blakey and Monk were touring with the group called the "Giants of Jazz" (which also included Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie, Kai Winding and Al McKibbon). Although this album marks Monk's only recording as a member of Art Blakey's celebrated Jazz Messengers, the pianist and drummer were very close friends who understood each other well on both a personal and musical levels. In fact, apart from, Johnny Griffin's "Purple Shades," all the compositions on this album are classic Thelonious Monk tunes. THELONIOUS MONK - piano; ART BLAKEY - drums; JOHNNY GRIFFIN - tenor sax, BILL HARDMAN - trumpet; SPANKY DeBREST - bass. Recorded New York City, May 14 (A3 & B1) & May 15 (A1-A2; B2-B3), 1957. Original sessions produced by Nesuhi Ertegn.
