Thelonious Monk - Palo Alto (Live At Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA / 1968) (2020/2024) (Hi-Res)

In 2020, the release of a late-era Thelonious Monk live show recorded at a high school by a custodian may seem like, at best, a historical curio or, at worst, the very epitome of barrel-scraping. But from the first moments of this 45-minute set, it's clear that this unique recording has far more going for it than its provenance or its rarity. But, to be sure, both the provenance and rarity of the recording are worth noting: In the heightened, revolution-ready atmosphere of 1968, a senior at an affluent and predominantly white high school bringing a jazz legend to campus seems like an absurd idea, but this senior was Danny Scher, and this wasn't even the first jazz gig he booked at Palo Alto High (he brought in Cal Tjader during his junior year and would book Duke Ellington a few months after this Monk show). Scher would go on to work for more than two decades with concert promoter Bill Graham, but in 1968, he was a driven and passionate young jazz fan who didn't take no for an answer.

Tracklist
1. Ruby, My Dear (Live) (06:59)
2. Well, You Needn’t (Live) (13:16)
3. Don’t Blame Me (Live) (06:36)
4. Blue Monk (Live) (14:02)
5. Epistrophy (Live) (04:25)
6. I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams (Live) (02:02)