| Thelonious Monk - (1917 - 1982)
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 recorded 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. |
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| This, as well as the website 'logo' at the top of each page will bring you back here to the start page. |
| What's New - the latest additions and changes to the website as well as some recent and/or recommended CD's and books. |
| The Discography - this will take you to lots of information about Monk's audio and video recordings, including many links to sleeve notes and reviews. |
| This takes you to the "miscellaneous" page where you'll find links to magazine articles, lists of books, concert reviews, interviews, quotations and lots more information. |
| This takes you to a page of recommended jazz links. |
 | Many pages on this website are javascript "popups" which do not include a menu bar, a tool bar, or a specific URL address - just close these secondary windows to return to the page you came from. |
 | www.howardm.net/tsmonk/tsmonk.php Comments? Questions? Suggestions? email me - howard at howardm.net |  |
 | Off site links will open in another window - close the new window to return to this website. |
 | Reviews and Awards - The Thelonious Monk website has won several awards - take a look at them here. |
 | The Stan Tracey Website - "a pianist/composer who has listened to Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk and has found his own voice in the process." The website has a comprehensive discography and lots of other information. |
email - howard at howardm.net
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