9. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane – Nov. 29, 1957 – Carnegie Hall
The 2005 issue of these two stupendous sets from Carnegie Hall allowed listeners to at long last properly hear Monk’s legendary “Five Spot” band at its peak, making this Smithsonian discovery one of the most significant in the history of jazz. Before getting to the music itself though, a discussion of why the Five Spot gig was so important to the careers of Monk and Coltrane …