Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
	Monk at Minton's Playhouse, New York, 1947
Background information
Birth name	Thelious Monk Jr.
Born	October 10, 1917; Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	February 17, 1982 (aged 64); Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Jazz; bebop;
Occupation(s)	Pianist; composer;
Years active	1933–1976
Labels	Blue Note; Prestige; Riverside; Columbia;
Website	theloniousmonkmusic.com

Thelonious Sphere Monk^[3] (/θəˈloʊniəs/, October 10, 1917^[4] – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Well, You Needn't". Monk is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.^[5]

Monk's compositions and improvisations feature dissonances and angular melodic twists and are consistent with his unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of switched key releases, silences, and hesitations.

Monk's distinct look included suits, hats, and sunglasses. He also had an idiosyncratic habit during performances: while other musicians continued playing, Monk would stop, stand up, and dance for a few moments before returning to the piano.^[6]

Monk is one of five jazz musicians to have been featured on the cover of Time (the others being Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, and Wynton Marsalis).^[7]

^ Solis, Gabriel (2007). Monk's Music: Thelonious Monk and Jazz History in the Making. University of California Press. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9780520940963.
^ Kelley, Robin (2009), pp. 35, 442.
^ "Thelonious Monk (American musician)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
^ Kelley, Robin (2010). Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original. London: JR Books. p. 1. The source identifies the date of Monk's fortieth birthday in 1957.
^ Giddins, Gary; DeVeaux, Scott (2009). Jazz. New York: W.W. Norton; ISBN 978-0-393-06861-0
^ Graham, David (October 18, 2017). "Thelonious Monk's Quiet, Slow Conquest of the World". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
^ Lea, Nick (April 21, 2023). "Jazz on The Cover of TIME Magazine". Jazzfuel. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[Solis_2007_19–20-1] Solis, Gabriel (2007). Monk's Music: Thelonious Monk and Jazz History in the Making. University of California Press. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9780520940963.

[2] Kelley, Robin (2009), pp. 35, 442.

[3] "Thelonious Monk (American musician)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 31, 2012.

[4] Kelley, Robin (2010). Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original. London: JR Books. p. 1. The source identifies the date of Monk's fortieth birthday in 1957.

[5] Giddins, Gary; DeVeaux, Scott (2009). Jazz. New York: W.W. Norton; ISBN 978-0-393-06861-0

[6] Graham, David (October 18, 2017). "Thelonious Monk's Quiet, Slow Conquest of the World". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 4, 2022.

[7] Lea, Nick (April 21, 2023). "Jazz on The Cover of TIME Magazine". Jazzfuel. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

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