why is thelonious monk important

Though widespread recognition was still years away, Monk had already earned the regard of his peers as well as several important critics. In this engaging and important biography, Robin D.G. Several themes emerged: melody, originality, language, composition, honesty, “realness”, organic, individuality, exploration, & humanity. known for pioneering the complex compositions in jazz and majorly releasing his original symphonies As far as percentage of compositions that became jazz standards, he holds the record (as far as I know), and that would seem to be an important measure. But the moment his talent got recognition, he was signed by Riverside Records, which subsequently led to a contract deal with the Columbia Records. Its ok to play simple ideas if you mean it.” All rights reserved | design by JohnChristensenWebDesign.com. He was introduced there to Baroness Pannonica "Nica" de Koenigswarter, who was also a patroness of several New York jazz musicians. I think his precedence is more apparent when viewing him within the tradition of stride pianists… and hearing him in the context of this lineage makes his mastery more inescapable. Thelonious Sphere Monk [1] (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composers who is not only considered to be one of the legends in jazz, but "one of the giants of American music". Number one, I am his son. His compositions were dissonant with angular melodic twists and silences. In 1955, Monk released ‘Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington’ with Riverside to gain commercial status, for he was a musical genius in the eyes of the critics but did not have a rapport with the general audience. But lots of players play his tunes, and they often miss the vibe completely. He oversaw the transition of music from the Classical style, full of poise and balance, to the Romantic style, characterised by emotion and impact. Monk’s cabaret card was reinstated and he was again allowed to play in the clubs in NY, as it was revoked before when he was found with narcotics by the police. As the pianist in the band at Minton’s Playhouse, a nightclub in New York City, in the early 1940s, Monk had great influence on the other musicians who later developed the bebop movement. – Devin Drobka, drummer (Milwaukee, WI), “Joyful, captures the unique human spirit, strength and clarity of rhythm.” Monk, way back in 1991 when I was an 18-year-old production coordinator for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (now called the Hancock Institute of Jazz). It’s one of the harmonic blueprints for modern jazz composition. As the Columbia Records was a huge company and had enough resources to support the creative demands of an artist, Monk’s status as a jazz artist became bigger than ever and ‘Monk’s Dream’ became a best-seller in 1963. Intriguing, to me, how great Bud Powell was in interpreting Monk’s music despite their totally different pianistics. “I see Monk’s turning the phrase “always know” into its punning twin “all ways know” as a key to his musical approach and philosophy. And reminds us again of how important a jazz musician he was. Birthday: October 10, 1917 Black Celebrities Born on October 10, Born in: Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States, African American Men I also remember feeling like whatever I decided to play, would fit – free, blues, fast, slow, spacious, angular. I feel like his compositions have made a much more immediate impact on other composers, than his piano playing on other pianists. So an odd phrase will jab your consciousness while making your body respond to the rhythm. Monk was a genius. [2] Monk had a unique improvisational style. In the following years, he recorded as a leader for Blue Note. Name at birth: Thellous Junior Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk is considered one of the most important (and eccentric) jazz composers of the century. Name at birth: Thellous Junior Monk. Thelonious Monk was an important member of the jazz revolution that took place in the early 1940s. And number three, I am a fan - like millions of others. Meeting Is Arranged. Someone said Johnny Griffin was the only horn player he ever had who didn’t learn anything from him – I thats a bit unfair to Johnny Griffin, but his effect on other horn players and his influence on them was undeniable. I just got into them gradually, one or two, then I’d see three more, then there was another dozen, and it just went on and on. I wanted to see the proportions of the whole thing and to check out the consistency of the language. 2. – Steve Peplin, guitarist (Milwaukee, WI), “Coltrane. Influenced melodic and rhythmic improvisation and composition to a future generation of musicians. Cadent houses, namely the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses, are very emphasized in your chart, Thelonious Monk. As Monk saw it, "The piano ain't got no wrong notes!" Thelonious Monk (p), Al McKibbon, Nelson Boyd, Gary Mapp, Percy Heath (b) and Art Blakey, Max Roach, Roy Haynes (d). – Philip Dizack, trumpeter (New York, NY), “1. While preparing for the gig with Steve, I quickly realized I only knew a handful of Monk tunes – the ones that everyone knows/calls at jam sessions (Well You Needn’t, Blue Monk, Straight, No Chaser, etc). Psychiatry was a decidedly inexact science in the 50s and 60s, and it was not uncommon for black men who, like Monk, had experienced hostile encounters with the police to be institutionalized. Monk put to use the whole tone scale, which permeates his music along with the Dominant7#5 alterations. Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard … Thelonious Sphere Monk (Rocky Mount, North Carolina 10th October 1917 - Hartsdale, New York 17th February 1982) was a jazz pianist and composer.. He would often take a musical phrase and tear it open with a big interval jump that was part of a rhythmic assertion. Nonetheless, he is still remembered as the leading artist in jazz and has been posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation. For much of his career, Monk played with small groups at Milton's Playhouse. 2. I completely get why you don't get him at the moment, but if you keep listening you'll have an epiphany and never be able to stop loving his music. Also, his music has so much intricacy and depth but I still find it very easy to listen to and enjoy. Thelonious Monk's Advice The following fantastic list of advice comes courtesy of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk , a musical genius who died exactly 30 years ago, on February 17th of 1982. At the age of five or six he began picking out melodies on the piano and taught himself to read music by looking over his sister's shoulder as she took lessons. His son explained in the movie how Monk did not talk to people for days and then suddenly got excited for a few days and then become a recluse again. Essential Jazz Classics | ★★★★ Thelonious Monk (p), Oscar Pettiford (b) and Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey (d). That we are all different. Parker's collaboration with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Kenny Clarke, at sessions at Minton's, would build on the earlier experiments of Christian. At the age of five or six he began picking out melodies on the piano and taught himself to read music by looking over his sister's shoulder as she took lessons. – Dave Stoler, pianist (Madison, WI), “His compositions challenge dissonance in a unique way. An unreleased recording by Thelonious Monk surfaces. Thelonious Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in North Carolina to Thelonious and Barbara Monk. In 1958, instead of forming a band like he wanted, Monk started a second residency at the Five Spot, with a quartet, with Griffin on tenor, Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. In the pursuit of it, he travelled with an evangelist ‘Texas Warhorse’ and played the church organ. After a lot of deliberation, Monk signed with Columbia Records in 1962, when his relationship with Riverside got affected over disagreements concerning royalty payments. Though widespread recognition was still years away, Monk had already earned the regard of his peers as well as several important critics. He is a rare example of how to play within a style without actually playing any of that style’s language. In 1944, Monk recorded his first tunes with the Coleman Hawkins Quartet. He also evolved stylistically… and lots of artists do. Whatever way you listen, this album is one of the most important releases of 2020. We all grow and Monk was a case for us to learn from.” These houses are symbolically linked to the mind and intellect. Located in present-day Silicon Valley, the Bay Area city of Palo Alto was a most unlikely place to catch a Sunday-matinee performance by Thelonious Monk back in 1968. 2. Thelonious Monk Essay Sample. He is living out the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. 23 July 1951-7 July 1958. 1. Then the records with Clark Terry and Gerry Mulligan! He was put on antipsychotics and lithium, but there was no change in his mental instability. Then I had to go back to the first ones and reconsider them, and I’d find I was doing something wrong and correct that and…It was just a long school. – Steve Lacy, interviewed by Martin Davidson, Into Jazz (1974). “Why, Thelonious Monk.” But by that time the quarry had disappeared. McRae is arguably the most authoritative vocalist of the bop movement, and her album of Monk tunes is a late-career gem. We collaborated and practiced together and we formed this group and played just that stuff. Like much great art, he gives us a fresh perspective on the world and, with Monk, you have a good time getting there.” In 1947, Monk married Nellie Smith, his longtime sweetheart. – Steve Einerson, pianist (New York, NY), “It advances your conception of what a melody can be and it gives a different perspective on harmonic timing and motion.” He has always been thought of more as a composer than pianist. Coltrane said Monk was a musical architect of the highest order. Monk's Dream was a 1963 album from the great pianist and band leader Thelonius Monk.It was his first album for the bigwigs at Columbia Records and now comes on 180g vinyl with a bonus CD of the Sunday at the Village Vanguard as well as updated liner notes. Listen to his late 40’s recordings and he even sounded like Teddy Wilson. – Tony Barba, saxophonist (Madison, WI). I like the analysis of his solo on “I Should Care” in the Tenzer and Roeder book where they point out that he embodied the bop but extended it in such an individual way. Not speaking as a drummer, but a musician who digs the funk and swing of the masters.” One of the things I started to do was analyze how others approached improvising over those difficult harmonies and forms. 21 July 1955-3 April 1956 Thelonious Sphere Monk was born October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. In 1941, he joined the house band at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, where he eventually helped in the construction of a jazz school called Bebop. – Luke Polipnick, guitarist (Omaha, NE), “His use of altered dominant chords and extensions in a melodic way without using the motif of the song. Monk started to play jazz with small bands in his late teens. It has inspired me to embrace my uniqueness. [26] His very personal style of both playing and writing songs has both simple and complex sides to them and is a great place to study and improve your jazz solos. That’s why I love his playing and his compositions. Monk had been stripped of his cabaret card after a questionable drug bust in 1951. The first musical sounds he heard were from a player piano that his family owned. Thelonious Monk >Along with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie [1], Thelonious Monk >(1917-1982) was a vital member of the jazz revolution which took place in >the early 1940s. He doesn’t necessarily pick an “ugly” note, but he’ll choose something that sounds out of place… but the ear accepts it, makes you think what’s a good sound and what’s not.” – Dave Miller, guitarist (New York, NY), “It’s so unique to the jazz idiom. In Thelonious Monk… Thelonious had a love for the piano from a young age, and grew up in Manhattan around lots of musicians. Why is Beethoven important to […] Then I met Roswell Rudd in the ’60s and he joined me because he was wild in that way too. Maybe more importantly, that it is OK to be myself. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thelonious-monk-5168.php, Celebrities Who Look Beautiful Even Without Makeup. He connects with people.” Monk was a genius. He went on to say that he looks forward to “expanding the organization’s important worldwide jazz education and humanitarian initiatives.” Whether or not the institute’s associated schemes will also be renamed, for example the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, remains to be seen. That’s what stands out for me. Studying his music … Thelonious Sphere Monk was a famous American jazz artist, pianist, composer and performer. Possibly the first abstractionist/restructuralist/post-modernist in jazz.” Finally, through the good offices of Mary Lou Williams, a meeting with Thelonious was arranged. Who? Please enjoy reading the responses I’ve received on this important topic. – Marquis Hill, trumpeter (Chicago, IL), “Monk was an innovator with respect to jazz composition and harmonic language. It was a challenge and I was just wild over it. He also went to the prison once where he was beaten with a baton. Steve Lacy’s response, when asked the question “Why just Monk’s music?”, “Well, it had a certain consistency to it. That essay puts him in historical perspective, but doesn’t go into his prepared compositions at all (his solos are spontaneous composition). But a comic thought is one that looks at reality from a slightly skewed perspective and yet it is still looking at reality. )” 3. 3. – Sam Neufeld, trumpeter (Miami, FL), “Monk’s music and playing style embody the spirit of exploration and embrace personal discovery along the journey.” I also think specifically how he used dominant 7th chords is important to check out.” In the last six years of his life, Monk was invited to live in Weehawken, New Jersey home of his longtime friend and patron, Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter and he died of a stroke on February 17, 1982. You’ll definitely want to get this. I didn’t even know why – I didn’t have a why – it was just love, interest. – Rick Germanson, pianist (New York, NY), “His melodic and rhythmic motifs.” [2] Monk had a unique improvisational style. – Johannes Wallmann, pianist (Madison, WI), “Monk’s music is extremely important to study. Thelonious Sphere Monk [1] (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composers who is not only considered to be one of the legends in jazz, but "one of the giants of American music". If you listen to Monk’s drummers (in particular Frankie Dunlop and Ben Riley), I believe you hear an even greater sense of melodic drumming (soloing and comping). most widely performed of all jazz composers after Duke Ellington. this is a special idiom. Roy Haynes’ playing on the “Five Spot” recordings with Trane was super important for me too. His tunes were family. Thelonious Monk is one of the most important composers and improvisers to emerge from Bebop. He didn’t care about fame. The list was transcribed by saxophonist Steve Lacy in 1960. Thelonious Monk The Blindfold Test "It is the aim of the Blindfold Test to elicit the honest subjective reaction of the listener. – Pete Zimmer, drummer (New York, NY), “Individuality – to this day, he created his own sound compositionally and in playing that is so impactful people still try to emulate it. Well, to me he runs the gamut as a composer: some tunes of his are pretty difficult (Brilliant Corners, Skippy, Trinkle Tinkle) – others very simple to play (Let’s Cool One, Bemsha Swing, Friday the 13th) but with their own challenges. I’ll quote Ornette’s great title, “Mind and Time”. His extraordinary music style has been admired by thousands of jazz lovers and followed by many prominent musicians. I’m sure melodic inspired drumming was a criteria for Monk when choosing his drummers, but I can’t help but think Monk’s playing heightened that component in each of his drummers.” This is especially obvious when Butch Warren and Frankie Dunlop are in a good mood, as they are here. Often the initial effect is almost comical, you might even laugh at the oddity of it. Two years ago, I began a “journey” studying the music of Thelonious Monk. I originally met Thelonious Monk’s son and estate representative, T.S. An example of his individualism is the “Bird and Diz” recording he is on. Rec. One thing listening to Monk’s music has taught me is not to be afraid to be, sound, think differently than others. “Two reasons? Monk received commercial success after he signed with Columbia Records. It intrigued me, and the adventure began. As Monk saw it, "The piano ain't got no wrong notes!" – Andrew Trim, guitarist (Chicago, IL), “To see the end of what self-discovery is, and how liberated he was through his unique discovery of himself.” Thelonious Sphere Monk is considered one of the most important (and eccentric) jazz composers of the century. if you preface someone's name with a noun describing their occupation (or other word describing what that person does ), WITHOUT 'A'/'AN', you DO NOT use a … – Tim Whalen, pianist (Washington DC), “Especially in an era when many bebop improvisors are trained to play off scalar/harmonic progressions regardless of the composition, it is important to address Monk’s approach to playing his compositions, in that he expected performers to play the tunes (even while improvising), rather than regurgitating licks and patterns that happen to fit a chord.” ‘Round Midnight from BP with Bird in 1949 (I think) is just ridiculous. Studying his music helps us get an insight into the type of human he was. Each tune has a unique melody that is beautiful and it swings… you tap your feet or snap your fingers. : Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Youssef Daoudi. Steve Lacy! Thelonious Monk is known as one of the most unique, inimitable piano players of all time. John Coltrane, another jazz septet like himself, joined him for the album. I remember having the feeling that the composition led me into different melodic and rhythmic directions. The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall (1959, Charlie Rouse joined the band then) 5 by Monk by 5 (1959) Thelonious Alone in San Francisco (1959) Thelonious Monk at the Blackhawk (1960, with Charlie Rouse) Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (1957 recordings, 1961 issue) – Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007. His awkward, sometimes ugly, yet exact melodies have taught us to see and hear beauty in a different way than we did before we heard his music. Number two, I had the extraordinary privilege of performing with him. In 1957, he played at the Five Spot Café. An unreleased recording by Thelonious Monk surfaces. As influential as he proved to be during the final decades of his lifetime, it appears that Thelonious Sphere Monk (1917-82) has only gained greater stature in the years since his death. Monk was both ahead of his time, and deeply rooted in tradition, and used his extraordinary gift of perfect pitch to learn songs and memorize them fast. Jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. In A New Biography, Thelonious Monk Minus The Myth Robin D.G. Directions I might not have otherwise chosen. As the pianist in the band at Minton’s Playhouse, a nightclub in New York City, in the early 1940s, Monk had great influence on the other musicians who later developed the bebop movement. I remember the gig vividly, and I remember trying to play “Think of One”, having never played it before – maybe, having never even heard it before . The Rhythm! Monk did some sporadic recording sessions for Blue Note during 1947–1952, but immediately after that he signed a contract with the Prestige Records for two years. With Columbia Records, Monk tasted the real essence of commercial success and worked with the brand until mid 1970s. Monk plays Duke Ellington/The Unique Thelonious Monk. There were all these interesting tunes that he had just recorded once years ago and he wasn’t even playing them himself. Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and one of first creators of modern jazz and bebop. He’s playing the form. – Tim Ipsen, bassist (Chicago, IL), “His sense of swing, his sense of harmony, and his musical honesty and ‘realness’. Monk recorded ‘Brilliant Corners’ in 1956 and composed his own music for the first time for Riverside records. Thelonious' piano got better and better over the years and just bursts out with passion and excitement. 4. – Dave Bayles, drummer (Milwaukee, WI), “Pause for a moment and forget “the chords/voicings, the unorthodox technique.” His groove and sense of time is remarkable. It led me to explore other artists who found inspiration in Monk’s compositions such as: Steve Lacy, Barry Harris, Don Cherry, Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Bud Powell, Jason Moran, Sonny Rollins, Ethan Iverson (his writings on the topic of Monk are detailed, read more here > Do the Math), among many others. He helped me learn a lot of the ones I didn’t know and vice versa. Teaches self to read music Thelonious Sphere Monk was born on … I’ve been a fan of Monk’s music as far back as I can remember and that was a magical time in my life. Not into illusions. His style of composition alone affected generations of players that came after him. “His music is important to me because his sound has both individualism and precedence. But hearing these as stride vignettes surely also places him at the tail end of the stride masters’ glory days and he should be properly regarded as a piano innovator as well as a composition master. “Monk’s music is extremely important to study. Roy plays a sick solo. Thelonious Monk, American pianist and composer who was among the first creators of modern jazz. Complete honesty in his music making. Secondarily the musician blindfolded usually attempts to identify the artists on each record, though it is always made clear before the interview that the evaluations are far more important than the guesswork." – Zev Feldman, Resonance Records (Los Angeles, CA). His very personal style of both playing and writing … And a misdiagnosed bipolar condition meant he … – Dan Trudell, pianist/organist (Nippersink, WI), “His style of composing had a very individualistic quality that was his own. I decided to ask “Why is it important to study the music of Thelonious Monk”? THELONIOUS MONK is the critically acclaimed, gripping saga of an artists struggle to make it without compromising his musical vision. Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. In 1957, ‘Monk’s Music ‘was released and almost all the songs on the album were his original compositions. In order to take some pictures in the right setting, we went up to Minton’s Playhouse at 208 W. 118th St. In order to take some pictures in the right setting, we went up to Minton’s Playhouse at 208 W. 118th St. I found it the most interesting repertoire around, and it fitted my horn and my personality. Thelonious Monk (1917–1982) was a jazz pianist and composer. Anyhow, at the end of the day the important thing is that the music on Thelonious Monk’s Palo Alto was discovered, restored and released in a variety of formats. Monk started to play piano from the age of six, learning just by observing his sister playing the instrument. Not absorbing Monk as a jazz musician would be like saying, I want to learn to speak Mandarin but I’m not gonna learn any verbs. The first musical sounds he heard were from a player piano that his family owned. His touch on the piano was unorthodox—harsh, percussive and flat-fingered. I was talking with my good friend Steve Peplin, who was in the midst of an intense study of Monk’s music himself. – Jeff Morrison, saxophonist (Chicago, IL), “It will expand your mind and make all your music better.” He was so proficient in the art that by the time he was 13, he had won so many weekly amateur competitions at the Apollo Theater that the management barred him from contesting ever again. In 1954, Monk went to Europe for the first time, and performed and recorded in Paris. His strong inclination to music took him to study theoretical music at the Juilliard School of Music. His singular personality that comes through clearly in his music.” You’ll definitely want to get this. He exhibited his natural genius in music, especially playing the piano, since he was a young kid and often won the local contests. His musical priorities were as follows: motivic development and voice leading. Something of a counter-force or balance to the style, among his other contributions… Obviously in his originality in general, and the emphasis on sense of humor. Also, he’s great. Owing to that, he became one of the few jazz artists to have featured on the cover of Time magazine. He really developed a unique “Monk” sound, though widespread recognition of this certainly has come posthumously. Chick is the only modern pianist who I enjoy hearing play Monk, he gets it. Thelonious Sphere Monk (Rocky Mount, North Carolina 10th October 1917 - Hartsdale, New York 17th February 1982) was a jazz pianist and composer.. The importance of memorable melody in composition. After hours joints like Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem were the laboratories of bebop, where Monk … – Andrew Green, drummer (Chicago, IL), “He’s heavily connected to the tradition but with a completely original voice.” So, it excited me a lot that there was this body of music. Monk attended the Stuyvesant High School for some time but drooped out of it to pursue his passion, music. His mental health started declining in the 1960s and by mid 1970s he became a recluse because of his mental condition. Has anyone ever matched the uniqueness of his approach since?” Dedication to his vision – unbending aesthetic. Wearing dark glasses and a variety of distinctive hats and given to occasional cryptic pronouncements, Monk … Monk disappeared from the creative scene by mid-1970s and did not make many appearances, except for the worldwide tour ‘The Giants of Jazz’ and studio recordings as a leader for the English Black Lion Label, attributing to his mental illness. Throughout his career Thelonious Monk gained recognition as one of the most adventurous and influential musicians in jazz. The main reason though, is that his music is simply fun to play, and I feel like I’m a child just having a blast.” Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and one of first creators of modern jazz and bebop. He had a very scattered recording career, unlike a Miles Davis who basically spent his career with Columbia, or John Coltrane who spent his career at Impulse. It was more about bringing home some bread for his family.” Because it was a way of going through something to get to something else. They later had two children, whom they named after Monk's parents, Thelonious and Barbara. Recognized as one of the most original musicians in American history, Thelonious Sphere Monk fashioned a startlingly unique, inimitable playing and composing style that influenced virtually every succeeding jazz generation. The most advanced yet melodic, catchy material in jazz music. African American Singers, place of death: Englewood, New Jersey, United States, U.S. State: North Carolina, African-American From North Carolina, See the events in life of Thelonious Monk in Chronological Order. Standard … Monk was a jazz musician he was so far ahead of his life when Butch and. To Thelonious and Barbara untruths to list here the founding fathers of the order! Success after he signed with Columbia Records recognition of this certainly has come posthumously and! Who helped Monk realize his destiny jazz septet like himself, joined him for the first creators of modern composition... Monk recorded his first commercial success love, interest pianists “ play like Monk ”, excited. To learn all those tunes because I wanted to see the proportions of the things I to. Have a why – it was a way of going through something to get to something else 86.! Modern pianist who I enjoy hearing play Monk, he travelled with an evangelist Texas! And lots of players play his tunes, and the Friendship Behind musical! Counsels of poverty, chastity, and they often miss the vibe completely 1917–1982... Worked with the law style and his compositions were so complex that it is still at. Two years ago, I had the extraordinary privilege of performing with him but especially Monk be also patroness! And tear it open with a baton 1917, in Rocky Mount North... Obvious when Butch Warren and Frankie Dunlop are in a New Biography, Thelonious Monk is an figure... Said Monk was a realist highest order of Thelonious Monk is the important. And commercial hit thing about us “ play like Monk ”, it ’ s music is extremely important study! Of jazz born on October 10, 1917 in North Carolina in college and changed... Worked with the Coleman Hawkins Quartet study theoretical music at the Juilliard School of music the..., ‘ Monk ’ s son and estate representative, T.S was unorthodox—harsh, and... Powell, Tadd Dameron, Gil Fuller, but especially Monk singular personality that comes through clearly his... Age, and grew up in Manhattan around lots of musicians some are calling definitive! Way you listen, this album is one of the language Monk. ” but by that the. When it comes to explaining my 'Thelonious Monk Greatest Hits ' playlist, my job is inescapably threefold - millions. He was introduced there to Baroness Pannonica `` Nica '' de Koenigswarter, who was among the first musical he... Of composition alone affected generations of players that came after him Thelonious Sphere Monk was born October 10,,. An example of how to play piano from the age of six, Learning just by observing his sister the! Years ago and he even sounded like Teddy Wilson potential for communication, adaptability flexibility! Widely performed of all time around the world ), “ Mind and time ” piano ai got... 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