Thelonius Monk Essay, Research Paper
Amir Caldwell
Jazz Survey
November 2000
Thelonius Monk
Born: October 10th, 1917
BirthPlace: Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA
Died: February 17th, 1982, New York City, NY
Instrument: Piano, Composer
Nickname: Melodious Thunk
Recording Career: 1944-1975
Thelonious Monk was part of that small but select group of jazz musicians who were responsible for the birth of a new kind of jazz – bebop. In his teens he met Mary Lou Williams, a fine jazz pianist who became a lifelong friend and a major inspiration. By the early 1940’s he was playing Harlem clubs like Minton’s and Monroe’s Uptown House with fellow innovators Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. In the mid 40’s he led groups under his own name, worked with Coleman Hawkins, and was with the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra for a while; but he did not work regularly until the mid 50’s when he finally became recognised for the contribution he had made to the new jazz and started recording some remarkable albums for Riverside. In 1962 he began recording for Columbia. During the 60’s he led a quartet featuring Charlie Rouse on tenor, a group which recorded and toured extensively. He retired from touring and recording in the early seventies. His last recordings were made in Europe in November 1971 while on a ‘Giants of Jazz’ tour for George Wein.
His piano playing and his compositions have an oddness about them, a strange angularity that is not always easily assimilated, but pays back dividends for those willing to listen. Many of his recordings are of his own compositions but his treatment of Tin Pan Alley standards like “Tea for Two”, “Liza”, and “Memories of You” show his unique approach to the keyboard.
Thelonious Monk’s style of playing varied from the traditional sounds of the jazz pianist. His compositions were performed with slightly off key melodies, that when heard by the first time listener, could be mistaken as musical error, rather than due to his highly individualistic ear. Monk was also known as an intuitive soloist. His solo style from the late forties lasted with him throughout his brilliant career. While Thelonious Monk was a totally original player whose playing was hardly touched by his bebop colleagues, his most obvious disciple is Stan Tracey. Some of Monk’s work also brushed off on Duke Ellington in the late part of his career.
In 1947 Blue Note record signed Monk and recorded him for a few year. Then after little other work he recorded a record of Duke Ellington hits in 1955. This served to bring him out of the obscure, and somewhat into the main stream of Jazz. Then in 1957, John Coltrane was kicked out of Miles Davis’s band, because of a severe drug problem. As a result, the great saxophonist Coltrane joined Monk’s quartet. Because of Coltrane’s presence, people quickly began to recognize Monk as one of the great stars of Jazz. He signed an extended contract with Columbia records in 1962, and appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1964. He continued to tour through the rest of the ’60’s, and he played with the “Giants of Jazz” in the early 70’s.
Thelonius Monk retired suddenly in 1973. He suffered from some sort of mental illness which kept him from touring, with the exception of a few scarce appearances. He died in 1982, at the age of 65. Monk continued to grow in popularity even after his death. He will always be recognized as a true individual in Jazz music. His ability to give a melody his own flare, in addition to his funky hats and sunglasses will always be rembered.