I can tell he musically understands Monk, but not the spirit of his playing. He doesn't come out of his style and yet there is still a lot to learn from him. Take what you can from him and put it together in your own way. Thanks for breaking Monk down for the non pianist.
Really enjoyed this. Monk is one of my 3 all time favorite musicians. One thing Monk sometimes did was hit a cluster of keys and then release all but one so that note was dominant.. I still don't quite understand why Monk was so difficult for so many listeners back then. I know his frequent use of dissonance might not be to some people's liking or maybe his percussive sound. And of course his refusal to bend his music to make it more palatable must be considered. But he improvised on the melody, not on the chord changes as most jazz musicians do, so I would think that would make him easier to dig. . I'm not a musician, just a fan, but here was my attempt to break down his I Surrender Dear on the Brilliant Corners LP' Monk was certainly one of a kind. The exciting chords at 0:14, 0:42 and 1:36 are brought to a climax at 2:19, 2:23, 2:26 and 2:30 with explosive force to create a riveting sound. The run from 2:43--3:19 with its jagged tempos and piercing dissonance is Monk at his finest. No one could play like this. A lovely little stride break at 3:44. A perfect one beat pause at 4:26. Then the fireworks start. The chords at 4:51 and 4:55 are stunning in their intensity, especially the last with its two note exclamation point. Can't go higher than this, so the final two chords are slightly diminished at 5:00 and 5:04. And Monk plays such a sweet little ending, although always with a Monk edge to it. What a magnificent interpretation of this standard. ruclips.net/video/1DHn43Z-Zkw/видео.html
i remember about 25 years ago, at a workshop in Amsterdam, Barry telling us, one should never try to copy Monk's style. You can take bits of it, and definitely learn his compositions, but never try to copy his playing style because you will always sound like a beginner making mistakes." He then said, only Bud Powell, and Elmo Hope could come close to understanding Monk's concepts and pull it off (on a personal note, I would add Herbie Nichols , Frank Hewitt and Sacha Perry as well)... Anyways... i stay clear of sounding like Monk... personally I think its too hard to pull off and sound cliche'...
Noah very wonderfull video. I haveńt seen anyone else analyzing and showing up Monks style so brilliant like tou. I love your videos, i always get something out of them , 🙏
There is some stuff on Monk online, but it’s mostly vague or only focuses on a very limited aspect of his playing. This is, albeit still too short (of course it is, 😊), insightful and informative. Great work!
I think if I could describe Monk's playing in one word, it would be playful. Another common thing that people have said about the clusters and grace notes is that Monk was trying to mimic note bending from the guitar, horn squeaks, but it just turned to this very easy "surprise" device that became ubiquitous with Monk. Whenever I talk with people or students who are kinda too shy to improvise, I just show them how Monk played. It can be polished like you did, or I think Chick Corea was one of the best pianist to have encapsulated and built themselves upon Monk's style, or it can just be playful but still grooving. Great video! Hopefully this gets people to listen to more Monk. And the alternative fingering for the tritone line is just 2345, keeping the 1234 is fine but 2345 is available if you want to change it up.
You are so spot on about Chick. I feel like he is the only pianist who really understood where Monk was coming from and was able to encapsulate that spirit whenever he played his own music (to varying degrees) but especially when doing Monk tunes (which he did a lot of in so many ensembles, even Now he sings now he sobs has Panonica on there). I agree with playful as a description of Monk's playing, but there are two additional words I'd probably use: relax and fun. Monk always has fun when he plays, he smiles, he dances, he sings, he enjoys it. And Monk was so relaxed in his playing and approach, to a degree the French call "laissez faire". Just the way he bangs those keys, so nonchalant, awkward technique from a purist perspective, a timing which you really can't place (it somehow just always works), and always the unexpected, quirky, and yet so charming. It's really like his way of being, probably his personality shining through. It's maybe also why a lot of (young) players who try to really copy Monk utterly fail because it feels unnatural. He could get away with anything because it is inside him, you as a player only copy what you hear and observe but never feel like Monk. You miss that swag he has. The Japanese call it "wabi sabi": perfection in the natural inherent imperfection. And yeah, I think Chick is the one who came closer to understanding and especially feeling it. And it's funny because many players who do play Monk's tunes already know better as to not imitate Monk's quirks. They play Round midnight or some other more conventional tune from him as their own and that works well. But Chick is that guy picking the idiosyncratic material from Monk and mastering it. He'd play Trinkle Trinkle, Work, Crepescule with Nellie, all these quirky Monk tunes. And he nails it.
@@RavenYan A dash of Duke, a dash of Bud, a dash of glitch haha. I've always found his playing rather cerebral, "algorithmic" maybe, to use our host's term. Like a great painter doing a simple line drawing. Bird and Diz, Monk Plays Ellington etc., so many great records.
@@candidlens If we’re getting to personal descriptiveness I saw it as if he’s corrupting swing. Like whenever he’d interpret a ballad he’d have his dissonant stride and an almost mocking feel to it. He be playing lushes rotten swing. But there’s a sense of honesty with his music. I’m been obsessed with his album solo monk for a year and I still come back to it for his ámense style
I can tell he musically understands Monk, but not the spirit of his playing. He doesn't come out of his style and yet there is still a lot to learn from him. Take what you can from him and put it together in your own way. Thanks for breaking Monk down for the non pianist.
This is great! Gets to his core! Stomping around on the keys. Would love to see you take a crack at Paul Bley's loose and spontaneous style
Really enjoyed this. Monk is one of my 3 all time favorite musicians. One thing Monk sometimes did was hit a cluster of keys and then release all but one so that note was dominant.. I still don't quite understand why Monk was so difficult for so many listeners back then. I know his frequent use of dissonance might not be to some people's liking or maybe his percussive sound. And of course his refusal to bend his music to make it more palatable must be considered. But he improvised on the melody, not on the chord changes as most jazz musicians do, so I would think that would make him easier to dig.
. I'm not a musician, just a fan, but here was my attempt to break down his I Surrender Dear on the Brilliant Corners LP'
Monk was certainly one of a kind. The exciting chords at 0:14, 0:42 and 1:36 are brought to a climax at 2:19, 2:23, 2:26 and 2:30 with explosive force to create a riveting sound. The run from 2:43--3:19 with its jagged tempos and piercing dissonance is Monk at his finest. No one could play like this. A lovely little stride break at 3:44. A perfect one beat pause at 4:26. Then the fireworks start. The chords at 4:51 and 4:55 are stunning in their intensity, especially the last with its two note exclamation point. Can't go higher than this, so the final two chords are slightly diminished at 5:00 and 5:04. And Monk plays such a sweet little ending, although always with a Monk edge to it. What a magnificent interpretation of this standard.
ruclips.net/video/1DHn43Z-Zkw/видео.html
he didnt play be bop lines
i remember about 25 years ago, at a workshop in Amsterdam, Barry telling us, one should never try to copy Monk's style. You can take bits of it, and definitely learn his compositions, but never try to copy his playing style because you will always sound like a beginner making mistakes." He then said, only Bud Powell, and Elmo Hope could come close to understanding Monk's concepts and pull it off (on a personal note, I would add Herbie Nichols , Frank Hewitt and Sacha Perry as well)... Anyways... i stay clear of sounding like Monk... personally I think its too hard to pull off and sound cliche'...
Good deconstruction. Thanks!
I like your word "de-construction".
Didn't really know how accessible "monk's ideas" could be practically laid out.. ThankS I LOVE MONK!!
Noah very wonderfull video. I haveńt seen anyone else analyzing and showing up Monks style so brilliant like tou. I love your videos, i always get something out of them , 🙏
Thank you, Tomás! I appreciate that.
great video it would be cool to have the same thing for his rhythmic approach
Good idea! Will add that to my video ideas, appreciate it 🙏
There is some stuff on Monk online, but it’s mostly vague or only focuses on a very limited aspect of his playing. This is, albeit still too short (of course it is, 😊), insightful and informative. Great work!
Thanks, Jan! Glad you enjoyed it.
I think if I could describe Monk's playing in one word, it would be playful. Another common thing that people have said about the clusters and grace notes is that Monk was trying to mimic note bending from the guitar, horn squeaks, but it just turned to this very easy "surprise" device that became ubiquitous with Monk. Whenever I talk with people or students who are kinda too shy to improvise, I just show them how Monk played. It can be polished like you did, or I think Chick Corea was one of the best pianist to have encapsulated and built themselves upon Monk's style, or it can just be playful but still grooving. Great video! Hopefully this gets people to listen to more Monk.
And the alternative fingering for the tritone line is just 2345, keeping the 1234 is fine but 2345 is available if you want to change it up.
Thanks, Calvin. Playful is a great word for it! Love thinking about what you said above, that he was mimicking other instruments. Thanks for sharing
You are so spot on about Chick. I feel like he is the only pianist who really understood where Monk was coming from and was able to encapsulate that spirit whenever he played his own music (to varying degrees) but especially when doing Monk tunes (which he did a lot of in so many ensembles, even Now he sings now he sobs has Panonica on there).
I agree with playful as a description of Monk's playing, but there are two additional words I'd probably use: relax and fun. Monk always has fun when he plays, he smiles, he dances, he sings, he enjoys it. And Monk was so relaxed in his playing and approach, to a degree the French call "laissez faire". Just the way he bangs those keys, so nonchalant, awkward technique from a purist perspective, a timing which you really can't place (it somehow just always works), and always the unexpected, quirky, and yet so charming. It's really like his way of being, probably his personality shining through.
It's maybe also why a lot of (young) players who try to really copy Monk utterly fail because it feels unnatural. He could get away with anything because it is inside him, you as a player only copy what you hear and observe but never feel like Monk. You miss that swag he has. The Japanese call it "wabi sabi": perfection in the natural inherent imperfection. And yeah, I think Chick is the one who came closer to understanding and especially feeling it. And it's funny because many players who do play Monk's tunes already know better as to not imitate Monk's quirks. They play Round midnight or some other more conventional tune from him as their own and that works well. But Chick is that guy picking the idiosyncratic material from Monk and mastering it. He'd play Trinkle Trinkle, Work, Crepescule with Nellie, all these quirky Monk tunes. And he nails it.
Been working on Ruby My Dear this morning. Also love Monk's bop lines. Early, late, you name it.
Yo sameeeee
@@RavenYan A dash of Duke, a dash of Bud, a dash of glitch haha. I've always found his playing rather cerebral, "algorithmic" maybe, to use our host's term. Like a great painter doing a simple line drawing. Bird and Diz, Monk Plays Ellington etc., so many great records.
@@candidlens
If we’re getting to personal descriptiveness I saw it as if he’s corrupting swing. Like whenever he’d interpret a ballad he’d have his dissonant stride and an almost mocking feel to it.
He be playing lushes rotten swing.
But there’s a sense of honesty with his music. I’m been obsessed with his album solo monk for a year and I still come back to it for his ámense style
@@RavenYan haha, yes, great way of putting it.
MY FAVOURITE JAZZ COMPOSER
NOT ONLY HARMONIC PATERNS, IS THE WAY HE PLAYS PIANO MARTILLATO, LIKE DRUMS 🤗
Your intro cracked me up Noah. 🤣 Another gem to work on and such fun.
Noah, you are a natural teacher! Thank you!
Incredible... Thanks so much, the way you get the concepts clear is de muchisima ayuda.
You're welcome, Nico, glad it helps
Great. As horn player I can create lines over these easily.
Great video!! Thanks for sharing and demonstration 🎶⭐️
You openmy eyes. I really want to know his fantastic voicing.
Superior stuff! I enjoyed this lecture so much 😀
Thanks, Janna, glad you liked it!
❤❤Great information 🎉thanks for sharing
Been waiting for this one
Great stuff, that. Thank you.
This video is incredible!! Thank you!! Monk is on my Mount Rushmore too
Sure thing, Chance! Glad you enjoyed it
cool video! which software do you use to show the notes played on the keyboard?
Dang ! That was great Noah!!!!
Thanks, Jason!
Great info man💕
Excellent and Fun!
Great video !
Next 'How to sound like Bobby Timmons' please !!!
what is the software that shows what chord you playing in real time?
Great job
Nice video!
Great!
good one
Pleassse do Cecil Taylor
Does anyone know the name of the song at 20:00? Or was it just something Noah improvised?
Just a guess here, but the melody sounds like Honeysuckle Rose.
@@litepollen Definitely sounds very Honeysuckle Rose-like to me too. Good call
Melodious Tonk ??😅😅
Not sloppy enough. Needs to sound like an accident. Like practice. #Monk
Shout out the don
the wholetone scale sounds kind of like Zelda LOL
What you shoulf be saing
Is sound like yout self
End of
An it’s not jazz
It’s black conscious music
💯😡💯
I dunno. I never heard monk play like you did in that intro.....sorry, gonna pass on this video
What 💀
@@captinsmig668 his timing is completely off
Play with boxing gloves on.
Great lesson, so valuable