Thelonious Monk: Love 'dem goofy hats (1 Viewer)

[Mike Broadman]

So, I'm listening to Thelonious Monk now, and I'm lovin' it so much, I decided to give him a thread here at the HTF.
One of the most influencial bop piano players of all time, he did things with harmony and rhythm that wasn't dreamt of before. Using jagged rhythmic figures and clanky melodies, he was able to put his "weirdness" in the context of some of the swingingest (nice word, eh?) and funkiest music ever.
The music is so joyful and pleasant, I can't listen to it without a big goofy smile across my face.
He's also one of the most legendary jazz composers, penning such now-standards as "'Round About Midnight," "Ruby, My Dear," "Well You Needn't," and "Epistrophy."
The early part of his career was marked by unrecognition and misunderstanding of his work, until long after bop became the biggest style of jazz, and people realised that Monk, one of its creators, was being neglected.
Monk is one of those cats that changed the way I listen to music, and taught me that, despite what everyone wants you to think, jazz is FUN. Do your ears a favor, folks, check it out.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I haven't heard enough Monk unfortunately, but he's on my list of "people to pay attention to". I recently picked up a Monk LD bio that I haven't gotten to watch yet. Former Police guitar man and jazz guitar master Andy Summers is a huge Monk fan, and actually has recorded a tribute with a bunch of Monk songs which is like all his stuff fantastic.
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Philip Hamm
AIM: PhilBiker