Despite various reissue formats over several decades, the seven original LPs contained in Thelonious Monk — The Riverside Tenor Sessions stood perfectly well on their own at the time of initial release and remain among the highest achievements of a truly golden age. Recorded and released between 1956 and 1961, these seven Monk combo albums were critical in Monk’s emergence from a decade of ridicule and neglect to his status at the pinnacle of the jazz pantheon.

One of the most significant events in jazz took place in the latter part of 1957 at the Five Spot in New York, where the Thelonious Monk quartet featuring John Coltrane on tenor saxophone was in residence. The music that Monk made with Coltrane quickly attained the status of legend. Although the group remained together for only a half-year, those who were lucky enough to witness them play called it electrifying.

The recordings on Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane are more Monk’s than Coltrane’s — Monk was signed to Riverside at the time — and the set mixes in three quartet tracks that have the pair working with Wilbur Ware on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums — plus two more from the sessions for the famous Monk’s Music record — alternate takes from those sessions, with a larger group that features Gigi Gryce on alto, Coleman Hawkins on additional tenor, and Ray Copeland on trumpet! Quartet tracks include “Ruby My Dear”, “Trinkle Trinkle”, and “Nutty” — with the larger group on alternates of “Off Minor” and “Epistrophy” — and a solo performance by Monk on an alternate of “Functional.”

In addition to some of his best recorded piano performances and more than two dozen of his profoundly personal compositions, the albums in this reissue series provide an overview of the era’s major tenor saxophonists, with contributions by Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Charlie Rouse and Harold Land. Max Roach, Art Blakely, Roy Haynes and Thad Jones are among the other jazz immortals featured on the essential Brilliant Corners, Monk’s Music: Thelonious Monk Septet, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, Thelonious in Action, Misterioso, 5 by Monk by 5 and Quartet Plus Two At The Blackhawk.