Thelonious Monk:

Always Know

Recorded in 1962-68

Thelonious Monk piano Charlie Rouse tenor saxophone (except 1/1, 1/6, 2/3, 2/4) Thad Jones, Nick Travis cornet (1/3, 2/2) Eddie Bert trombone (1/3, 2/2) Phil Woods alto saxophone (1/3, 2/2) Steve Lacy soprano saxophone (1/3, 2/2) Gene Allen baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet (1/3, 2/2) Butch Warren bass (1/2-3-5-7, 2/2-5) John Ore bass (1/4, 2/1) Larry Gales bass (2/4-6) Frankie Dunlop drums (1/2-3-4-5, 2/2) Ben Riley drums (1/7, 2/4-5-6) Hall Overton arranger, conductor (1/3, 2/2)

Ind. Title Composer Dur.
Disc #1
1/ This Is My Story, This Is My Song Crosby, Knapp 1:41
2/ Criss Cross Thelonious Monk 8:09
3/ Light Blue Thelonious Monk 12:50
4/ Monk's Dream Thelonious Monk 5:14
5/ Played Twice Thelonious Monk 7:33
6/ Darn That Dream Burke, Van Heusen 3:39
7/ Epistrophy Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke 5:06
Disc #2
1/ Coming On The Hudson Thelonious Monk 7:32
2/ Bye-Ya Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins 11:04
3/ Introspection Thelonious Monk 2:15
4/ Easy Street A.R. Jones 7:51
5/ Shuffle Boil Thelonious Monk 5:23
6/ Honeysuckle Rose Waller, Razaf 9:58

Note (from Thomas Fitterling's Thelonious Monk, His life and music): "Columbia recordings that were passed over for release at the time of recording were later issued on this 1979 double album. […] the piano solo This Is My Story, This Is My Song, is actually the hymn "Blessed Assurance" — an allusion by the mature Monk to his youthful Wanderjahre. All cuts on Always Know are unedited." 1/1 previously issued on Straight, No Chaser, 1/2 on Miles & Monk At Newport, 1/3, 1/5 on Big Band And Quartet In Concert, 1/4 on Monk's Dream, 1/6, 2/2, 2/3 on Solo Monk, 1/7 on It's Monk's Time, 2/1 on Criss Cross, 2/4 (here unedited) on Underground, 2/5 (alternate take) on It's Monk's Time, 2/6 on Live At The Jazz Workshop.

Recorded at Columbia Recording Studios, New York on November 2 & 6, 1962 [1/4, 2/1], January 30, 1964 [1/7, 2/5], November 3, 1964 [2/6], March 2, 1965 [1/6, 2/3], November 14, 1966 [1/1], February 14, 1968 [2/4]; recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 4, 1963 [1/2];

Producer: Teo Macero.

Cover art: Robert Andrew Parker. Cover design: John Berg.