Complete Studio Recordings: Master Takes

"This is one to play again and again with no diminution of pleasure, or of discovery."
- Dom Cerulli (Down Beat) 5 stars.

After returning from his trip to Philadelphia, in Mid- 1957, Coltrane accepted Monk's offer and joined his band for a period of six months. They played at New York's Five Spot Café in a quartet format, which included bassist Ahmed Abdul Malik and drummer Shadow Wilson, in addition to Monk and Trane. Despite the exquisite quality of the band's music, it yielded relatively few studio recordings in formats ranging from the septet to the quartet. Although all the musicians play beautifully here, what is perhaps most interesting is the presence of both John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax playing in the same session. Even if the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane on tenor sax was Monk's regular group for half a year, their studio records are limited to what is included on this release.