I love these mysteries and I think there is even more to this one than what we have considered so far. A couple more clues to the solving it:
Unless I’m mistaken one of the sticking points seems to be whether Monk recorded WITH the Blakey band on any of the tracks for the movie soundtrack. As I opined previously, I don’t think so. I think Monk used his band and Blakey used his band (Jazz Messengers) for the party scene music. If one watches the movie one notices that, first, whenever there is music, ASIDE FROM the party scene, it is often Monk playing solo and when he is accompanied by a band one hears Charlie Rouse’s distinctive tenor sound and NOT Barney Wilen who played on the Jazz Messengers sessions. Additionally, when Monk is playing one NEVER hears Lee Morgan’s trumpet (or any trumpet).
BUT WAIT!!! There are a couple of scenes in the movie when the band gets screen time and it is not Blakey’s band NOR Monk’s band; one sees a young Art Taylor on drums who played on the Duke Jordan record. A much more handsome guy than Blakey was....that’s the film industry for ya. Additionally, there are a couple of soundtrack spots when one clearly hears Charlie Rouse’s tenor, BUT, not with Monk, but with, presumably, Jordan’s band as credited on the Jordan record. So, my final answer (opinion):
Monk either played solo or with HIS band on the soundtrack. That music was never released as a record. Additionally, there TWO other bands who were used for the party scene music, Blakey’s and Jordan. Each of those sessions, possibly augmented after the fact, was released as different records.
Unless I’m mistaken one of the sticking points seems to be whether Monk recorded WITH the Blakey band on any of the tracks for the movie soundtrack. As I opined previously, I don’t think so. I think Monk used his band and Blakey used his band (Jazz Messengers) for the party scene music. If one watches the movie one notices that, first, whenever there is music, ASIDE FROM the party scene, it is often Monk playing solo and when he is accompanied by a band one hears Charlie Rouse’s distinctive tenor sound and NOT Barney Wilen who played on the Jazz Messengers sessions. Additionally, when Monk is playing one NEVER hears Lee Morgan’s trumpet (or any trumpet).
BUT WAIT!!! There are a couple of scenes in the movie when the band gets screen time and it is not Blakey’s band NOR Monk’s band; one sees a young Art Taylor on drums who played on the Duke Jordan record. A much more handsome guy than Blakey was....that’s the film industry for ya. Additionally, there are a couple of soundtrack spots when one clearly hears Charlie Rouse’s tenor, BUT, not with Monk, but with, presumably, Jordan’s band as credited on the Jordan record. So, my final answer (opinion):
Monk either played solo or with HIS band on the soundtrack. That music was never released as a record. Additionally, there TWO other bands who were used for the party scene music, Blakey’s and Jordan. Each of those sessions, possibly augmented after the fact, was released as different records.