In early 2005, an unmarked box at the Library of Congress revealed a 1957 recording of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane’s performance at Carnegie Hall, long considered one of modern jazz’s most significant but undocumented collaborations. In this book, Gabriel Solis offers a comprehensive historical, cultural, and analytical study of the landmark recording, released by Blue Note later that year.

Solis examines themes of "liveness," jazz education, enculturation, and historiography, using the recording to explore jazz both as a historical tradition and a contemporary art form. He provides detailed analysis of each track, focusing on Monk’s influence on Coltrane’s "sheets of sound" style and the mutual impact of their creative exchange. The first in-depth study of this pivotal release, Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall is essential for jazz scholars, musicians, and fans alike.