Genius of Modern Music, Vols. One & Two

Genius of Modern Music, Vols. One & Two are a pair of separate but related 12" compilation albums by American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk released on Blue Note in 1956.

Genius of Modern Music
Volume 1
Compilation album by
Released1956
1989/2001
Recorded
  • October 15, 1947 (1947-10-15)
  • October 24, 1947 (1947-10-24)
  • November 21, 1947 (1947-11-21)
  • July 2, 1948 (1948-07-02)
  • July 23, 1951 (1951-07-23)
  • May 30, 1952 (1952-05-30)
StudioWOR Studios
New York City
GenreJazz
LabelBlue Note
BLP 1510 (Vol. One)
BLP 1511 (Vol. Two)
ProducerAlfred Lion
Genius of Modern Music
Volume 2
Volume 2

Background

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic (Vol. One)     [1]
AllMusic (Vol. Two)     [2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Vol. One)     [3]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Vol. Two)     [4]
Tom Hull (Vol. One)B+[5]
Tom Hull (Vol. Two)A−[6]

Recording and production

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Monk recorded six sessions for Blue Note, all produced by Alfred Lion: October 15 and 24, 1947, November 21, 1947, July 2, 1948, July 23, 1951, and May 30, 1952.[7] All sessions were recorded by Doug Hawkins at WOR Studios, except July 2, 1948, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder at his home studio.

Release history

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Two 10"s were cut from the first five sessions: Genius of Modern Music (1951) and Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 (1952). After 10"s lost the format war, Blue Note began reissuing its Modern Jazz Series on 12"s. Material from the two ten-inches, the 1952 session, and other outtakes were recompiled on Genius of Modern Music, Vol. One (BLP 1510) and Genius of Modern Music, Vol. Two (BLP 1511).

The two volumes were recompiled for their CD reissue, moving the entire July 2, 1948 session to the Milt Jackson: Wizard of the Vibes reissue, and placing the other five sessions (with outtakes) in chronological order, with the 1947 sessions on Volume One and the 1951 and 1952 sessions on Volume Two.

Track listing

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Genius of Modern Music, Volume One – BLP 1510

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All tracks are written by Thelonious Monk

Side 1
No.TitleDate recordedLength
1."Round About Midnight"November 21, 1947 
2."Off Minor"October 24, 1947 
3."Ruby My Dear"October 24, 1947 
4."I Mean You"July 2, 1948 
5."April in Paris"October 24, 1947 
6."In Walked Bud"November 21, 1947 
Side 2
No.TitleDate recordedLength
1."Thelonious"October 15, 1947 
2."Epistrophy"July 2, 1948 
3."Misterioso"July 2, 1948 
4."Well You Needn't"October 24, 1947 
5."Introspection"October 24, 1947 
6."Humph"October 15, 1947 

Genius of Modern Music, Volume Two – BLP 1511

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All tracks are written by Thelonious Monk, except as noted.

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Carolina Moon"May 30, 1952 
2."Hornin' In" May 30, 1952 
3."Skippy" May 30, 1952 
4."Let's Cool One" May 30, 1952 
5."Suburban Eyes"Ike QuebecOctober 15, 1947 
6."Evonce"October 15, 1947 
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Straight, No Chaser" July 23, 1951 
2."Four in One" July 23, 1951 
3."Nice Work (If You Can Get It)"October 24, 1947 
4."Monk's Mood" November 21, 1947 
5."Who Knows?" November 21, 1947 
6."Ask Me Now" July 23, 1951 

CD reissues

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All tracks are written by Thelonious Monk

Genius of Modern Music, Volume 1
No.TitleDate recordedLength
1."Humph"October 15, 1947 
2."Evonce" (alternate take)October 15, 1947 
3."Evonce"October 15, 1947 
4."Suburban Eyes"October 15, 1947 
5."Suburban Eyes" (alternate take)October 15, 1947 
6."Thelonious"October 15, 1947 
7."Nice Work If You Can Get It" (alternate take)October 24, 1947 
8."Nice Work If You Can Get It"October 24, 1947 
9."Ruby My Dear" (alternate take)October 24, 1947 
10."Ruby My Dear"October 24, 1947 
11."Well You Needn't"October 24, 1947 
12."Well You Needn't" (alternate take)October 24, 1947 
13."April in Paris" (alternate take)October 24, 1947 
14."April in Paris"October 24, 1947 
15."Off Minor"October 24, 1947 
16."Introspection"October 24, 1947 
17."In Walked Bud"November 21, 1947 
18."Monk's Mood"November 21, 1947 
19."Who Knows"November 21, 1947 
20."'Round Midnight"November 21, 1947 
21."Who Knows" (alternate take)November 21, 1947 

All tracks are written by Thelonious Monk, except as noted.

Genius of Modern Music, Volume 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Four in One" July 23, 1951 
2."Four in One" (alternate take) July 23, 1951 
3."Criss Cross" July 23, 1951 
4."Criss Cross" (alternate take) July 23, 1951 
5."Eronel"
July 23, 1951 
6."Straight, No Chaser" July 23, 1951 
7."Ask Me Now" (alternate take) July 23, 1951 
8."Ask Me Now" July 23, 1951 
9."Willow Weep for Me"Ann RonnellJuly 23, 1951 
10."Skippy" May 30, 1952 
11."Skippy" (alternate take) May 30, 1952 
12."Hornin' In" (alternate take) May 30, 1952 
13."Hornin' In" May 30, 1952 
14."Sixteen" (first take) May 30, 1952 
15."Sixteen" (second take) May 30, 1952 
16."Carolina Moon"Davis, BurkeMay 30, 1952 
17."Let's Cool One" May 30, 1952 
18."I'll Follow You"May 30, 1952 

Note

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  • The CD issues compile the five sessions—excluding July 2, 1948, concurrently reissued on Milt Jackson: Wizard of the Vibes—chronologically. The 2001 RVG edition recompiled the track listing, postpending the alternate takes to their respective sessions, and restored the cover art for the original 10" LPs.

Personnel

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Musicians

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October 15, 1947

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October 24, 1947

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  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • Gene Ramey – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

November 21, 1947

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  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • George Taitt – trumpet
  • Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone
  • Bob Paige – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

July 2, 1948

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July 23, 1951

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  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone (except "Ask Me Now")
  • Milt Jackson – vibraphone (except "Ask Me Now")
  • Al McKibbon – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

May 30, 1952

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Technical personnel

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Original

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Reissue

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r811017
  2. ^ Genius of Modern Music, Vols. One & Two at AllMusic
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  5. ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  7. ^ Thelonious Monk - The Complete Blue Note Recordings Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2024-01-05
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