At Carnegie Hall
Label: Blue Note
Rated: NONE
WorkNameSort: At Carnegie Hall
John Coltrane only played with Thelonious Monk’s group for five months in late 1957, mostly for dates at New York’s Five Spot. Until now, only one poorly recorded album has served as the sole official audio documentary of their live interaction. But this disc, culled from misfiled tapes from the Voice of America’s archives, helps provide a clearer picture of this incredible quartet. Recorded at the height of the group’s brief existence, this Carnegie Hall performance is great not because it’s “important,” but simply because it’s incredible. At the beginning of the set, Coltrane seems content to provide a melodic foil for Monk’s unique piano work; however, about halfway through the disc, near the midpoint of “Nutty,” he steps forward and delivers a blistering solo that ratchets up the tempo and attitude of the entire performance. From there on out, it’s a tour de force for everyone (let’s not forget amazing bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik), and by the time “Blue Monk” rolls around, the stage is on fire.
This article appears in Oct 5-11, 2005.