Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane, Monk's Mood (At Carnegie Hall, 1957)

The live recording of Monk and Coltrane at Carnegie Hall is a true gem. The opening track, "Monk's Mood," is truely excellent. I've always been impressed by the virtuosity of the lines Monk plays behind Coltrane, especially on the A7b9. Now that I've transcribed them, I'm even more impressed!

Unsurprisingly, Coltrane is excellent; as Laurent de Wilde says, he explores Monk's music from the cellar to the ceiling. He often uses the whole-tone/half-tone scale, which wasn't commonly heard in 1957.

I chose not to adhere to the time signature given in the Real Books versions, because it's never really present here. I made adjustments to the rhythms played by the two musicians to make it easier to follow.

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