Palo Alto Release

In the fall of '68, a 16-yr old Jewish kid named Danny Scher had a dream to bring jazz icon Thelonious Monk and his quartet to play a benefit concert at his high school in Palo Alto, California. With the assassinations of both Martin Luther King and Robert F Kennedy Jr. in April and June of that year, 1968 was a time of great political and racial strife – echoing many of the same issues we are experiencing today. 

With racial strife both nationally and locally as the backdrop, Danny Scher succeeded in bringing one of the biggest Black acts in America to his predominantly white town - and temporarily united a divided city.

We're excited to announce that the previously-unissued Thelonious Monk performance from October 27, 1968 - at Palo Alto High School is officially available. It's a thrilling performance by Monk's classic quartet with Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales and Ben Riley, and has a fascinating backstory amidst the civil rights tensions of the late '60s.