Thelonious Himself is a 1957 album by Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...

 and his first to consist of exclusively solo material including "'Round Midnight

'Round Midnight (song)

Round Midnight" is a 1944 jazz standard by pianist Thelonious Monk. Jazz artists Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Pepper, and Miles Davis have further embellished the song, with songwriter Bernie Hanighen adding lyrics...

", Monk's most famous composition. The original CD reissue includes a revelatory 22 minutes of "'Round Midnight" outtakes, ideas, and development. The Keepnews Collection edition omits this sequence. In the liner notes Keepnews states that including it "would have required eliminating virtually every existing alternate take of other selections — five other examples of this pianist's improvisational genius."

The album was originally released in June 1959, featuring saxophonist John Coltrane

John Coltrane

John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...

.

Original CD reissue

1. "April in Paris
   April in Paris (song)
   "April in Paris" is a song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg in 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The original 1933 hit was performed by Freddy Martin, and the 1952 remake was by the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, whose version made the Cashbox Top 50.Composer Alec...
   
   " – 3:50
2. "(I Don't Stand) A Ghost of a Chance (With You)
   I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You
   "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You" is a 1932 song composed by Victor Young, with lyrics written by Ned Washington and Bing Crosby, recorded on October 14, 1932 by Bing Crosby in New York. Bing Crosby was accompanied by the ARC Brunswick Studio Orchestra with Lennie Hayton on piano. Two...
   
   " – 4:21
3. "Functional" – 9:18
4. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
   I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
   "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a song recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. The words were written by Ned Washington and the music was written by George Bassman. It was first performed in 1932. The original copyright is dated 1933 and issued to Lawrence Music Publishers, Inc. The...
   
   " – 4:03
5. "I Should Care
   I Should Care
   "I Should Care" is a popular song by Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston and Sammy Cahn, published in 1944. The original recording by Ralph Flanagan and His Orchestra, with vocalists: Harry Prime and The Singing Winds was made at Manhattan Center, New York City, on July 18, 1952...
   
   " – 7:52
6. "'Round Midnight
   'Round Midnight (song)
   Round Midnight" is a 1944 jazz standard by pianist Thelonious Monk. Jazz artists Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Pepper, and Miles Davis have further embellished the song, with songwriter Bernie Hanighen adding lyrics...
   
   " – 6:39
7. "All Alone
   All Alone (1924 song)
   "All Alone" is a popular song.It was written by Irving Berlin. The song was published in 1924. The song has been recorded many times, becoming a standard; it was most popular in a 1962 recording by Frank Sinatra....
   
   " – 4:49
8. "Monk's Mood" - 7:49
9. "'Round Midnight (In Progress)" - 21:55

Keepnews Collection reissue

1. "April in Paris" – 3:54
2. "(I Don't Stand) A Ghost of a Chance (With You)" – 4:24
3. "Functional (take 2)" – 9:22
4. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" – 4:08
5. "I Should Care (take 3)" – 3:15
6. "'Round Midnight" – 6:44
7. "All Alone" – 4:53
8. "Monk's Mood (false start)" - :58
9. "Monk's Mood" - 7:53
10. "(I Don't Stand) A Ghost of a Chance (With You)" – 4:13
11. "Functional (take 1)" – 9:44
12. "I Should Care (take 1)" – 3:29
13. "I Should Care (take 2)" – 3:18

Performers

• Thelonious Monk
  Thelonious Monk
  Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
  
   - piano
• John Coltrane
  John Coltrane
  John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
  
   - tenor sax (on "Monk's Mood")
• Wilbur Ware
  Wilbur Ware
  Wilbur Ware was an American jazz double-bassist known for his hard bop percussive style.Born in Chicago, Ware taught himself to play banjo and bass. In the 1940s, he worked with Stuff Smith, Sonny Stitt and Roy Eldridge. In the 1950s, Ware played with Eddie Vinson, Art Blakey, and Buddy DeFranco...
  
  - bass (on "Monk's Mood")