Thelonious Monk - Liza (All The Clouds’ll Roll Away) (1964)

To this humble listener’s ears, Monk’s standard interpretations are an ongoing education in music and mood, light and life.

Close your eyes; all the clouds’ll roll away.

Thelonious Monk and his Town Hall band in rehearsal, February 1959 (photo by W. Eugene Smith)

[left to right] Charlie Rouse, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron and Fats Navarro in 1948

(Source: negroartist.com)

Charlie Rouse from an unissued Blue Note recording session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, April 17 1963 (photo by Francis Wolff)

Sonny Clark - Midnight Mambo (1961)

Talking about Sonny Clark in the liner notes to Cool Struttin’, Art Farmer said:

“Some people sound like they’re trying to swing. Sonny just flows along naturally.”

See if you agree on this Tommy Turrentine composition, a Latin-tinged, Calypso-style cut in a minor key featuring Clark’s swinging, jabbing chord accompaniment. 

Quincy Jones, Charlie Rouse and Gigi Gryce during the Clifford Brown Sextet session, Audio-Video Studios NYC, August 28 1953

Sonny Clark - Somethin’ Special (1961)

More from this very special rhythm section.

Louis Smith - Smithville (1958)

Louis Smith only recorded two sessions as a leader for Blue Note in 1958 before dedicating himself to music education in Michigan. Lucky for us, these sessions—and in particular this cut—capture the obscure, under-recorded trumpeter’s ample blues gifts.

His playing is underpinned by a blues aficionado’s rhythm section: Sonny Clark, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. Charlie Rouse—in an early appearance for Blue Note—rounds out the front line.

Charlie Rouse - One for Five (1965)

This collection of previously unreleased sessions from the Blue Note vault is not spectacular by any stretch, but this cut headed by Charlie Rouse may be the strongest of the lot.

From Michael Cuscuna’s liner notes:

Charlie Rouse first appeared on Blue Note in 1947 on Tadd Dameron’s first session. In 1962, he made the delightful and unusual Bossa Nova Bacchanal for the label. Two attempts at straight ahead sessions in 1963 and ‘65 proved disappointing, despite promising casts. Only his One For Five, nailed in the first take of the ‘65 session, is worthy of issue.

Sonny Clark - Voodoo (1961)

These opening bars, strikingly similar to Grant Green’s It Ain’t Necessarily So recorded two months later, employ Clark’s irresistible chord voicings that get under your skin.

This LP was his last as a leader. He succumbed to a heroin overdose 14 months later.

Bonus: Charlie Rouse makes a rare appearance here outside his regular gig with the Thelonious Monk Quartet.