DESCRIPTION:
Very first pressing of "Thelonious Alone in San Francisco" LP by the great jazz pianist Thelonious Monk on the Riverside label in mono. Contains ten unaccompanied solo numbers recorded at Fugazi Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 21 & 22, 1959. Includes his famous classics "Blue Monk" and "Ruby, My Dear" as well as the tune "Pannonica," named for his lifelong friend and jazz patron Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. Front & back cover portraits by jazz photographer William Claxton, and liner notes by producer Orrin Keepnews.

COVER:
EXCELLENT with very light wear, some flaking at corners, 1/4" split at UR. No tears, stains, writing, stickers, bends, ring wear or major problems of any kind--looks great!

DISC:
EXCELLENT with full original gloss and only a few very faint marks. No wear, warps, chips, fingerprints, or problems of any kind. Plays very well with only minor surface noise and no repeating pops or skips. Lays very flat and perfectly centered. The sound could probably be improved by a good machine cleaning, but we leave that to the discretion of the buyer--still very listenable as is!

MATRIX INFO:
Side 1: Hand-etched "RLP 12-312 A-1" (no other markings)
Side 2: Hand-etched "RLP 12-312 B-1" (no other markings)

"-1" = 1st stampers (earliest pressing)

LABELS:
EXCELLENT with no wear, tears, stains, stickers, writing, stains or fingerprints. A few light spindle marks, mainly on side 2. Bright and new looking with all silver print clear and complete.

These are the deep-groove, small sized blue labels, correct for the time this LP was first issued.

INNER SLEEVE:
Newer poly-lined protective inner sleeve provided in addition to the original wax paper sleeve.

REVIEWS:
In October 1959, while traveling from a gig in Chicago to one in San Francisco, Nellie [Monk's wife] became sick on an airplane...she had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery...That's how the album Thelonious Alone in San  Francisco got its name. He had to go to San Francisco alone to make money to pay for the operation. - Leslie Gourse, Straight, No Chaser

With the robust ambience of Fugazi Hall in San Francisco at his disposal, Thelonious Monk recorded ten unaccompanied tracks over two days to create a long-awaited sequel to his immensely endearing Thelonious Himself long-player. As had become somewhat customary for Monk, he brought with him a healthy sampling from his voluminous back catalog, cover tunes, as well as a few new compositions. What is most immediately striking about these recordings is the rich and accurate sound stage at Fugazi Hall. The overtones are rich and thoughtful in their ability to animate Monk's recreations of some of his most endearing works, such as the pair that opens this set. "Blue Monk" still retains the proud stride and walking blues heritage of previous renderings. Adding a bit of off-tempo improvisation, Monk propels and emphasizes the rhythmic swing even harder. He is obviously also enjoying what he is hearing. The audible maturity guiding Monk through the familiar, albeit offbeat, chord progressions of "Ruby, My Dear" is striking. His nimble reflexes and split-second timing render this version superior. Again, the sound of the hall offers even more to enjoy from this performance...The recreation of an old 1920s hit, "There's Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie," is another of the highlights from Thelonious Alone in San Francisco that was never recorded again by Monk. The noir qualities are immeasurably enhanced by Monk's oblique phrasings as well as the eerie resonance of the Fugazi. This is an absolute must-own recording -- Monk enthusiast or not. - AllMusic.com

According to Nellie, as quoted in Gourse's book:

"That's how the album Thelonious Alone in San Francisco got its name. He had to go to San Francisco alone to make money to pay for the operation.

- See more at: http://www.jazzwax.com/2008/12/monk-alone-in-s.html#sthash.RHVsDyQm.dpuf
In October 1959, while traveling from a gig in Chicago to one in San Francisco, Nellie [Monk's wife] became - See more at: http://www.jazzwax.com/2008/12/monk-alone-in-s.html#sthash.RHVsDyQm.dpuf

"In October 1959, while traveling from a gig in Chicago to one in San Francisco, Nellie [Monk's wife] became sick on an airplane. They were planning to make a stopover to visit Nellie's cousin in Los Angeles because they had a week's vacation before engagements. By the time she arrived at her cousin's house, she had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery for an obstruction in her lower intestine. Nellie began to believe that with all her illnesses, that she would die before Thelonious." [Pictured, from left: Monk, Nellie and John Coltrane]

According to Nellie, as quoted in Gourse's book:

"That's how the album Thelonious Alone in San Francisco got its name. He had to go to San Francisco alone to make money to pay for the operation.

- See more at: http://www.jazzwax.com/2008/12/monk-alone-in-s.html#sthash.RHVsDyQm.dpuf
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
No reserve 7-day auction with FREE Media Mail shipping to USA. Priority Shipping available on request. International bidders to pay actual USPS shipping costs.

All records are safely packed in sturdy LP shipping boxes with inner cardboard stiffeners. Covers are in new poly sleeves, with discs OUTSIDE of jackets to prevent splitting of seams.

Goldmine grading standards for condition are conservatively applied. In addition, all records are fully auditioned and play-graded. Wax Museum Records guarantees your satisfaction or your money back. Please see our feedback for assurance of accuracy and excellence in product and service.

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