"Blues Five Spot" was recorded live at the Five Spot Cafe on August 7, 1958, for Thelonious Monk's album Misterioso. This Monk-composed blues in B-flat features an extended performance showcasing all four members of the quartet. Johnny Griffin opens with eight powerful tenor saxophone choruses that demonstrate his extraordinary stamina and inventiveness over the 12-bar form, his rapid-fire lines building in intensity with each successive chorus. Monk follows with four piano choruses of characteristic originality, his rhythmically unpredictable phrasing and dissonant harmonies transforming the familiar blues form into something wholly personal. Bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik contributes three solo choruses, and drummer Roy Haynes closes with three choruses of dynamic drumming that showcase his melodic approach to the instrument. Named for the club where Monk's quartet held its famed residency, Blues Five Spot captures the heat and excitement of a live jazz performance, the musicians feeding off each other's energy and the audience's enthusiasm. The extended blues format allows each player to develop substantial improvisational statements, making this one of the most comprehensive quartet blues performances in Monk's discography.
