Thelonious Monk
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Biography
[Edit]The most important jazz musicians are the ones who are successful in creating their own original world of music with its own rules, logic, and surprises. Thelonious Monk, who was criticized by observers who failed to listen to his music on its own terms, suffered through a decade of neglect before he was suddenly acclaimed as a genius; his music had not changed one bit in the interim. In fact, one of the more remarkable aspects of Monk's music was that it was fully formed by 1947 and he saw no need to alter his playing or compositional style in the slightest during the next 25 years.
Thelonious Monk grew up in New York, started playing piano when he was around five, and had his first job touring as an accompanist to an evangelist. He was inspired by the Harlem stride pianists (James P. Johnson was a neighbor) and vestiges of that idiom can be heard in his later unaccompanied solos. However, when he was playing in the house band of Minton's Playhouse during 1940-1943, Monk was searching for his own individual style. Private recordings from the period find him sometimes resembling Teddy Wilson but starting to use more advanced rhythms and harmonies. He worked with Lucky Millinder a bit in 1942 and was with the Cootie Williams Orchestra briefly in 1944 (Williams recorded Monk's "Epistrophy" in 1942 and in 1944 was the first to record "'Round Midnight"), but it was when he became Coleman Hawkins' regular pianist that Monk was initially noticed. He cut a few titles with Hawkins (his recording debut) and, although some of Hawkins' fans complained about the eccentric pianist, the veteran tenor could sense the pianist's greatness.
The 1945-1954 period was very difficult for Thelonious Monk. Because he left a lot of space in his rhythmic solos and had an unusual technique, many people thought that he was an inferior pianist. His compositions were so advanced that the lazier bebop players (although not Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker) assumed that he was crazy. And Thelonious Monk's name, appearance (he liked funny hats), and personality (an occasionally uncommunicative introvert) helped to brand him as some kind of nut. Fortunately, Alfred Lion of Blue Note believed in him and recorded Monk extensively during 1947-1948 and 1951-1952. He also recorded for Prestige during 1952-1954, had a solo set for Vogue in 1954 during a visit to Paris, and appeared on a Verve date with Bird and Diz. But work was very sporadic during this era and Monk had to struggle to make ends meet.
His fortunes slowly began to improve. In 1955, he signed with Riverside and producer Orrin Keepnews persuaded him to record an album of Duke Ellington tunes and one of standards so his music would appear to be more accessible to the average jazz fan. In 1956 came the classic Brilliant Corners album, but it was the following year when the situation permanently changed. Monk was booked into the Five Spot for a long engagement and he used a quartet that featured tenor saxophonist John Coltrane. Finally, the critics and then the jazz public recognized Thelonious Monk's greatness during this important gig. The fact that he was unique was a disadvantage a few years earlier when all modern jazz pianists were expected to sound like Bud Powell (who was ironically a close friend), but by 1957 the jazz public was looking for a new approach. Suddenly, Monk was a celebrity and his status would not change for the remainder of his career. In 1958, his quartet featured the tenor of Johnny Griffin (who was even more compatible than Coltrane), in 1959 he appeared with an orchestra at Town Hall (with arrangements by Hall Overton), in 1962 he signed with Columbia and two years later was on the cover of Time. A second orchestra concert in 1963 was even better than the first and Monk toured constantly throughout the 1960s with his quartet which featured the reliable tenor of Charlie Rouse. He played with the Giants of Jazz during 1971-1972, but then in 1973 suddenly retired. Monk was suffering from mental illness and, other than a few special appearances during the mid-'70s, he lived the rest of his life in seclusion. After his death it seemed as if everyone was doing Thelonious Monk tributes. There were so many versions of "'Round Midnight" that it was practically a pop hit! But despite the posthumous acclaim and attempts by pianists ranging from Marcus Roberts to Tommy Flanagan to recreate his style, there was no replacement for the original.
Some of Thelonious Monk's songs became standards early on, most notably "'Round Midnight," "Straight No Chaser," "52nd Street Theme," and "Blue Monk." Many of his other compositions have by now been figured out by other jazz musicians and are occasionally performed including "Ruby My Dear," "Well You Needn't," "Off Minor," "In Walked Bud," "Misterioso," "Epistrophy," "I Mean You," "Four in One," "Criss Cross," "Ask Me Now," "Little Rootie Tootie," "Monk's Dream," "Bemsha Swing," "Think of One," "Friday the 13th," "Hackensack," "Nutty," "Brilliant Corners," "Crepuscule With Nellie" (written for his strong and supportive wife), "Evidence," and "Rhythm-a-Ning," Virtually all of Monk's recordings (for Blue Note, Prestige, Vogue, Riverside, Columbia, and Black Lion) have been reissued and among his sidemen through the years were Idrees Sulieman, Art Blakey, Milt Jackson, Lou Donaldson, Lucky Thompson, Max Roach, Julius Watkins, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Gerry Mulligan, John Coltrane, Wilbur Ware, Shadow Wilson, Johnny Griffin, Donald Byrd, Phil Woods, Thad Jones, and Charlie Rouse. His son Thelonious Monk, Jr. (T.S. Monk) has helped keep the hard bop tradition alive with his quintet and has headed the Thelonious Monk Institute, whose yearly competitions succeed in publicizing talented young players.
Title: Underground
Artist: Thelonious Monk
Genre: Electronica, Techno, Jazz, Rock, Dancefloor, Pop, Dance Pop, Bop
Title: At The Five Spot Cafe 1958 (Giants Of Jazz)
Artist: Johnny Griffin, Thelonious Monk
Collections
Title: Club Jazz CD 1 Jazz Essentials
Genre: Jazz
Title: Club Jazz CD 4 Live At The Club
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Title: The Blue Note Years, Volume 1: Boogie Woogie Blues & Bop
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Title: Modern Jazz, Volume 80
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Title: 100 Gold Jazz Hits
Title: The Complete Dean Benedetti Recordings Of Charlie Parker
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Title: The Essential Jazz (CD2)
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Title: Then... Chill Jazz (CD1)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Then... Chill Jazz (CD3)
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Title: Then... Chill Jazz (CD4)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Late Night Jazz - Verve 50
Genre: Jazz
Title: Best Jazz 100 (CD6)
Genre: Jazz, World Music
Title: Jazz Erotic Vol. 4
Title: Umbria Jazz (CD1)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Umbria Jazz 2012 (CD2)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Precious Jazz
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Title: Bar Jazz Cafe
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Title: The Best Jazz... Ever! (CD3)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Essential Jazz (CD7)
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Title: Essential Jazz (CD4)
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Title: Jazz On The Road Route 3
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Title: Ken Burns Jazz: The Definitive Art Blakey
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Title: 50 Hits Jazz (Jazz Radio Presente)
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Jazz, Vol. 4
Genre: Jazz
Title: Blue Jazz
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Title: The Original Jazz Masters Series Vol. 2 (CD3)
Genre: Jazz
Title: The Original Jazz Masters Series Vol. 2 (CD4)
Genre: Jazz
Title: The Original Jazz Masters Series Vol. 1 (CD4)
Genre: Jazz
Title: For The Love Of Monk
Genre: Bop
Title: The Cool Concept " Piano "
Title: The Blue Box: Blue Note's Best, (CD2)
Genre: Jazz
Title: The Blue Box: Blue Note's Best, (CD3)
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Title: Jazz Suprême
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Title: Jazz - Deluxe (20 Jazz Music Standards)
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Title: 100 Hits Halloween (CD4)
Genre: Pop
Title: Jazz Deluxe
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Title: Jazz Mag Jazzman Présente - L'âge D'or Du Jazz (CD1)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Le Meilleur De Blue Note
Genre: Jazz
Title: Jazz Coolest Of The Cool
Genre: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Title: The Atmospheric Lounge Night Waves On Jazz Piano, Vol. 1
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Title: The Most Essential Jazz Piano
Genre: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Title: Hotel Lobby Jazz Ambiance
Genre: Jazz
Title: Piano Cocktail Bar Jazz Ambiance
Genre: Jazz, Lounge, Smooth Jazz
Title: 50 Jazz Ambiance, Vol. 1
Genre: Jazz
Title: Cocktail Jazz Ambiance
Genre: Jazz, Lounge, Smooth Jazz
Title: 50 Jazz Ambiance, Vol. 2
Genre: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Title: Sing When You Swing
Genre: Jazz
Title: The Jazz Years - The Sixties
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Featuring albums
Title: DJ Yoda's How to Cut and Paste: The Thirties Edition
Artist: DJ Yoda
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Rap, Jazz, Rock, New Wave, Dancefloor, Pop, Dance Pop, Alternative
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Artist: The Sonny Rollins
Genre: Jazz, World Music, Bop
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Artist: Chip Shelton
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz
Title: Dizzy's Diamonds: The Best of the Verve Years
Artist: Dizzy Gillespie
Title: Jazz: The Definitive Performances
Artist: Art Blakey, The Jazz Messengers, Louis Armstrong, Louis Armstrong Orchestra
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Title: Woody Allen - Music from His Movies, Vol. 9
Artist: Various Artists
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Title: Wizard Of The Vibes (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition)
Artist: Milt Jackson
Title: Prestige Profiles: Sonny Rollins (With Collector's Edition Bonus Disc)
Artist: The Sonny Rollins
Genre: Jazz
Title: Jazz Love Songs After Dark [Playboy Jazz Series]
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Pop, Pop Rock, Theatre/Soundtrack, Vocal & Symphonic
Title: How To Cut and Paste- The Thirties Edition
Artist: DJ Yoda
Genre: Electronica, Hip Hop/R&B, Rap, Dancefloor
Title: The Jazz Masters - 27 Classic Performances From The Columbia Masterpieces Series
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Genre: Jazz