"Monk's Moods: Behind the Scenes with Thelonious Monk "
SFJAZZ Members Listening Party with Orrin Keepnews
Thursday, May 3 • 6pm
Free (2 ticket limit)
Program Notes
Famed record producer Orrin Keepnews oversaw Thelonious Monk’s many recording sessions for Riverside Records. Generally considered to contain some of his finest work, Monk’s Riverside discography includes the classic albums Monk Plays Ellington, Monk’s Music, The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall (reinterpreted this season by pianist Jason Moran and Monk’s son T.S. Monk; see page 37), and Thelonious Alone in San Francisco.
Like every aspect of his personality, Thelonious Monk’s recording process was utterly unique. Utilizing video and audio samples to open a window on Monk’s creative process, Keepnews and SFJAZZ Executive Director Randall Kline will lead this exclusive Members-only event, an integral component of the Spring Season’s Monk Project.
Keepnews found his way into jazz as a journalist in the late ’40s during the transition from bebop to cool. His recorded legacy includes landmark works by Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, and Sonny Rollins. A native New Yorker, Keepnews relocated to the Bay Area in the ’70s to serve as director of A&R at Fantasy Records, where he began the process of reissuing many of his Riverside recordings. He has continued that vital preservation effort, remastering historic recordings and providing insightful liner notes for a host of re-releases including the recently released three-disc retrospective, Fats Waller: If You Got To Ask, You Ain't Got It!
