If I were stranded on a desert island and I could only take one jazz pianist with me, it’d be Thelonious Monk.
Why? It’s all in his sound. When you hear him on the radio, you know it’s him. Unlike Leonard Bernstein or Emanuel Ax, Monk had unusually small hands for a pianist (a problem that I struggle with every day) — so he was pushed to develop his own, distinct sound.
You’ll notice in his solos that he doesn’t play the piano like most classically trained pianists — instead, he hits it like a percussive instrument. The solos almost sound like an old, rundown car: he spurts out musical ideas, takes a completely random break, then lets out hiccups of more ideas. But this is what makes Monk different; it’s what makes Monk, well, Monk. In fact, for this reason, his unique way of soloing is dubbed Melodious Thunk.
The Monk standards: 1…Blue Monk. 2…Straight, No Chaser. 3…Epistrophy. 4…Well, You Needn’t. 5…Round Midnight.
My favorites: 1…Blue Monk (my absolute favorite). 2…Round Midnight.
But it’s not just his playing that’s got character. Thelonious Monk has always been known for cryptic and defensive when approached by the media. In 1958, when Monk was emerging as a prominent jazz pianist, an article in the Downbeat magazine explained that “one interview or ten [could not] shatter the protective wall Thelonious Monk [had] built around himself.” He consistently gave the media and his interviewers quizzical answers to their questions. For example:
Q: Where do you think modern jazz is going?
A: “I don’t know where it’s going. Maybe it’s going to hell. You can’t make anything go anywhere; it just happens.”
Q: On his association with musicians like Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane who suddenly became popular after playing with him…
A: “I have noticed that with a lot of musicians…(with a wry smile) I don’t know why that happens.”
Q: About playing with musicians like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Milt Jackson…
A: “Just another session…They’re all just sessions.”
Q: What do you listen to?
A: “I listen to everything.”
*Downbeat magazine, 1958 article by Frank London Brown, 75th annual collector’s edition
If you’re new to Monk, start here. Happy listening!
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Going Out of My Head/Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington/Late Night Piano
