Thelonious Monk Discography at Discogs

Thelonious Monk

Real Name:

Thelonious Sphere Monk

Profile:

American jazz pianist, and composer.

Born: 10 October 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA.
Died: 17 February 1982 in Weehawken, New Jersey, USA (aged 64).

Among the most influential musicians, especially amongst pianists, of the twentieth century.
Monk had a idiosyncratic improvisational style, both musically and visually, and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire. He is often regarded as one of the founders of bebop, though his playing later evolved away from that style.

Both his prolific compositions and improvisations are full of dissonant harmonies and angular melodic twists, consistent with Monk's unorthodox approach to the piano, combining a highly percussive attack with abrupt, usually very dramatic, usage of silences and hesitations.

He was also renowned for his distinctively sartorial style in suits, hats and his trademark sunglasses. He was also well known for his actions on stage during performances. While the other musicians in the group continued playing, he would sometimes stop, stand up from the piano, dance for a few moments, and then return to the piano and continue playing. Whether this was part of his act or because he was entranced in his art form has never been substantiated in the few interviews with him.
One of his regular dances consisted of continuously turning counter-clockwise, which has drawn comparisons to ring-shout and Muslim Sufi whirling.

Monk is also one of only five jazz musicians to date to be featured on the cover of Time magazine (the other four being Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and Dave Brubeck).

Father of Thelonious Monk Jr. and Boo Boo Monk.

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Thelonious Monk

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Thelonious Monk Discography

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Thelonious Monk Plays

Thelonious Monk / Sonny Rollins - Thelonious Monk / Sonny Rollins ◄ (6 versions)

Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington

The Unique Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Himself

Thelonious Monk And Gerry Mulligan - Mulligan Meets Monk ◄ (12 versions)

Thelonious Monk With Sonny Rollins, Ernie Henry And Clark Terry - Brilliant Corners ◄ (21 versions)

Clark Terry & Thelonious Monk - In Orbit ◄ (4 versions)

Thelonious Alone In San Francisco

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers* With Thelonious Monk - Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk ◄ (10 versions)

Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane - Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane ◄ (14 versions)

In Italy

Two Hours With Thelonious (European Concerts By Thelonious Monk)

Charlie Parker - Dizzy Gillespie - Thelonious Monk - Une Rencontre Historique (10", Album, Mono)

Criss-Cross

It's Monk's Time

Monk.

Big Band And Quartet In Concert

It's Monk's Time

Solo Monk

Monk In France

Misterioso (Recorded On Tour)

Thelonious Monk & Gigi Gryce - Nica's Tempo ◄ (2 versions)

Straight, No Chaser

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