I love monk so much. He shades the melody and stretches it right to the limit of obscurity and right when you think hes gone too far you realize its right there and it all becomes one succinct idea. The noise is shown to be music and we are richer in our understanding of the melody of the music and of abstract ideas in general because of it. He does this so naturally too without a hint of pretension. He makes me want to make sense of the noise in the other areas of my life and do so in my own way.
Whenever I went to see Monk at the 5 Spot in New York and the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco, I would grab a seat from where I could see his feet. I loved the little dances he did when improvising.
(3) They gathered around the piano and stared as though they'd been hypnotized, as though it was the first time they'd ever heard anything like that. The director was so impressed by the expressions on their faces that he had Billie and Count and the rest of them stand at the piano when the show went on the air, just so he could televise their reactions while Monk played."
Monk complained about Basie being there the whole cab ride back after the performance. Basie was not there at the other end of the piano as a fan, but to mock and heckle his playing. He spoke about it in interviews. Watch the video carefully.
There is a story about a review from a club gig that panned Monk. The writer said he was all right hand. Monk invited him back, sat on his right hand, and did the whole gig left handed. Boss.
This is so cool, funny to see monk relatively young, it's obvious that he was the biggest beatnik, check out the style in which he leans on the piano in the end, true bebop guy.
The reaction of the guy at 1:49 is one of the many reasons I love Monk so much! Jagged and unpredictable but man, I defy you to find another piano player who played with such impeccable rhythm. I enjoy showing Monk to my classical pianist friends, they almost always never get it. Barry Harris and Bud Powell (both idols of mine) revered Monk and his creative prowess. It also seems that Count Basie was a fan too!
'The guy at 1:49' liked Monk even more than you do. It's John Crosby, the jazz writer. Not everyone grins like an ape when they're listening to music they savor.
It's funny because everyone it cuts to at this performance looks absolutely baffled by what's going on. The one black guy by the piano is going along with it and gets it but the saxophonist and the white guys are like "bro what is he doing we're live." Definitely a musician way ahead of his time though I mean you can see how this precedes modern jazz like Ornette Coleman which has abstracted melody to the point of near absurdity, and stuff like this would pave the way for free jazz like Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. My favorite part is when he cuts to Monk's feet, it shows that despite how unorthodox it is, Monk's playing and performance style is all intentional and authentic, because his steps and slides synch with his chords. I always like to imagine that Monk's improvisational style was based purely off of instinct and intuition, I can't believe that he would have prepared rhythms and harmonies like this before-hand. He probably played through melodies once and then made it a conscious effort to never play it the same way again.
[...] when it came time to "hit" for the cameras, Thelonious arrived at the Town Theater, aka CBS Studio 58, on 55th Street and Ninth Avenue on time and ready to play. And, as usual, he made a sartorial statement few viewers could forget: He donned a hip plaid jacket, white shirt and tie, a sporty driving cap, bamboo sunglasses, and a pair of Hush Puppies that never stayed still as he pounded out a characteristically angular yet swinging rendition of "Blue Monk."
Jimmy Rushing isn't some Hater,just a Hep- cat host,entertained but completely lost in fascination, by certain indepth forms of insane creativity,that is beyond his own comprehensive grasp.
Count looking at him brought a LOT of weight. It's what he meant by that he didn't like him looking at him... it made it a bigger challenge to keep on the head wrap you need to be original [and he was all about that]. Ever play for family as heavy as your Dad? Same thing :-)) A Monk like statement of respect. The Count was the original dynamic piano player to stab a note and let it ride. Speed wasn't nearly as important as playing it perfect. Monk was perfectly off speed and Trope-ic. He gets your attention all through the performance with this timing over the drum time. Fantastic bit of film this. What program was this anyone?
DR. Monk is the Heaviest! Creating the most Contraversial Original Non-conventional, Bebop Blues tracks as a Black American Big City Jazz experienced player of all times.Jabbin' & throwin' incomprehensible unpredictable notes around in his own clever mind made up uncanny compositions.It's unheard of still even in todays time.The Academic Jazz community,classical professionals,who are forever bewildered, & still cant pick-up on what he was throwin' down on key board.Tryin to figure out to plaigerize & creatively expose the mystery of his algorythmic formulas,even to his grave.Lmao!That particular Piano had so many of the Jazz Greats from time to time, sitting in on the set, like Count Basie & others in their crew on the scene. Bangin' certain Blues notes on the ebony & ivory so profusely ,that the wooden hammers that hit the strings inside the sound box were broken /cracked, & in some places worn thin,making major key bebop notes ring out,alot moreso off-key like bicycle bells.Rare Classic Casual Basie film footage hanging out with Thelonius (The Natural),who The Count made uncomfortable by remotely watching his every note in complete artistic curiosity,(As like the more Commercialy safe Dizzie Gillespie vs. the Dangerous Underground Charley"Bird"Parker) allowing him his own off-beat rythmic frequency of undercurrents,which even surpasses himself,thru an historically memorable musical time in the TV-Land Limelight of those days.There is No- Doubt a definete Mad Genius reality of the True Creative Obscure! "Monk is the Funk!!"No joke!
The other two musicians are Ahmed Abdul-Malik, the bassist who had been working with Monk for a while in his then-current stand at the Five Spot, and a drummer named Osie Johnson. And that dude sitting on the other side of the piano was none other than Count Basie. The TV producer thought it'd be neat to capture Basie's reaction to the music; but this really pissed off Monk, who swore that the next time Basie had a gig he would go and "sit across the piano and stare at him the whole time."
Certainly one of Monk's greatest live spots. For him, earlier is better. (I'd like to see a film of him in the early '50s, when he was at his absolute peak as a composer.)
That's a fast tempo for Monk. Malek is the player on the brilliant find recently of the Monk-Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert. I'd forgotten about Osie, once an extremely busy drummer. Usually on more commercial projects. Hey, there's Hawk. He thinks it swings, so it does. The trick on Blue Monk is to play the last phrase on the weak, not the strong, beat. Many musicians add or subtract a beat from the song because of that one deceptive part.
beautiful spastic precision. At any moment monk looks like he might jump up from his piano and bolt out the door. Genius celebrated lasts life times and transcend ones own individual life.. Thelonius is something else now, isnt he? More like a tragic genius who saw the problems coming and not do anything about it.
Classic back in History,Count Basie himself,was thrown-off by Monks screwball off-pitched original 'birth of cool' blue notes,but when they all finaly caught what he's throwin' down,a fly-ball that was already out the park.and in the pocket.Wow!
Un campo lleno de "flores de pan" desprendiendose por mi sólido en vestido blanco de princesa y descalza de mis ^Guillermina azules a botón/Es. Grato recuerdo 👏🎼🙆♂️
@Moxxuren The "racist" white guy (John Crosby) is the reason why you have this film to enjoy. In America in the 1950's, a black performer as popular as Nat Cole could not get a sponsor. So it was only because Crosby had enough pull that this got put on TV. This is from the same show that had Billie Holiday and Lester Young together for the last time. The show was called the "Seven Lively Arts".
I love monk so much. He shades the melody and stretches it right to the limit of obscurity and right when you think hes gone too far you realize its right there and it all becomes one succinct idea. The noise is shown to be music and we are richer in our understanding of the melody of the music and of abstract ideas in general because of it. He does this so naturally too without a hint of pretension. He makes me want to make sense of the noise in the other areas of my life and do so in my own way.
nanotam89 Damn lucid comment!
Great stuff - Monk in his prime - but way ahead of his time - and 50+ years later we haven't yet caught up to him...
Whenever I went to see Monk at the 5 Spot in New York and the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco, I would grab a seat from where I could see his feet. I loved the little dances he did when improvising.
Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass. Gotta love his name and bass playing. Monk really blows their minds. He stretches out harmonically to the max.
Thelonious at the peak of his powers.. and look at his fans looking on...while Abdul Malik and Osie Johnson lend rhythmic support!
One of the few times you can see Monk smile is right at the end - he grins right at Count Basie (who was watching his every move and clearly dug it)
(3) They gathered around the piano and stared as though they'd been hypnotized, as though it was the first time they'd ever heard anything like that. The director was so impressed by the expressions on their faces that he had Billie and Count and the rest of them stand at the piano when the show went on the air, just so he could televise their reactions while Monk played."
These old shows had creative camera work.
So great Basie was on hand and enjoying the grove. Both are such masters
Monk complained about Basie being there the whole cab ride back after the performance.
Basie was not there at the other end of the piano as a fan, but to mock and heckle his playing. He spoke about it in interviews. Watch the video carefully.
This is precisely why youtube is amazing! what a fantastic recording!
@comateensnyc "
"sometimes it's to your advantage for people to think you're crazy" - Thelonious Monk
Monk was crazy like a fox...
Pure genius, love the block chords and dig those gaps !
Oct.10: Happy birthday Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) Thank you and God bless. RIP. Thanks for the upload. Blessings
Thelonious Monk didn't "play" the piano, per se - as I heard a narrator once say on a jazz documentary concerning him, rather he "attacked" it
Great tune. Timeless piece of film. Hey, the cat is sitting on a folding chair!
There is a story about a review from a club gig that panned Monk. The writer said he was all right hand. Monk invited him back, sat on his right hand, and did the whole gig left handed. Boss.
Such camerawork remains unmatched
Absolutely stellar!
Grande Monk. Muchas gracias por compartir esta joya.
so awesome!!! man, this has to be my favorite version thus far!
Always been cool! Damn right sir...and Monk was one of the coolest. Outstanding performance, crazy syncopation going on.
This is so cool, funny to see monk relatively young, it's obvious that he was the biggest beatnik, check out the style in which he leans on the piano in the end, true bebop guy.
Genius at work
Was blessed to study improv for a stretch at NYU with Malik in ‘77/‘78. Beautiful person. 🙏
I love watching Monk's foot slip and slide while keeping time.I wonder what Basie was thinking?He looked like he was digging it.
Count Basie hanging out and diggin' it.
Perhaps the greatest pianist of all time.
Incredible. Monk is brilliant :)
The reaction of the guy at 1:49 is one of the many reasons I love Monk so much! Jagged and unpredictable but man, I defy you to find another piano player who played with such impeccable rhythm. I enjoy showing Monk to my classical pianist friends, they almost always never get it. Barry Harris and Bud Powell (both idols of mine) revered Monk and his creative prowess. It also seems that Count Basie was a fan too!
monk was a genius!
It depends on the classical pianist. I am discovering and very much enjoying Monk.
'The guy at 1:49' liked Monk even more than you do. It's John Crosby, the jazz writer. Not everyone grins like an ape when they're listening to music they savor.
Idiot's face
I love Count Basie's reaction to Monk at 2:24 ! Me too!
What a genius he was! Truly awesome.
@SuperStudioB Thank you for taking your time to write this down! =)
A COMPLICATED MIND.....BEAUTIFUL SKILLZZZZ....BLOVE
his sunglasses look so modern like it wnt through a time machine from today to them!!! x-D
Monk created a style that you can't even replicate if you try. much like Robert Johnson
Thelonious always killed it the hardest whenever he played
I love seeing Count Basie watching him!
Quelle charme !
the drummer totally gets it
I play this all the time on my trumpet and i like this song
It's funny because everyone it cuts to at this performance looks absolutely baffled by what's going on. The one black guy by the piano is going along with it and gets it but the saxophonist and the white guys are like "bro what is he doing we're live." Definitely a musician way ahead of his time though I mean you can see how this precedes modern jazz like Ornette Coleman which has abstracted melody to the point of near absurdity, and stuff like this would pave the way for free jazz like Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. My favorite part is when he cuts to Monk's feet, it shows that despite how unorthodox it is, Monk's playing and performance style is all intentional and authentic, because his steps and slides synch with his chords. I always like to imagine that Monk's improvisational style was based purely off of instinct and intuition, I can't believe that he would have prepared rhythms and harmonies like this before-hand. He probably played through melodies once and then made it a conscious effort to never play it the same way again.
[...] when it came time to "hit" for the cameras, Thelonious arrived at the Town Theater, aka CBS Studio 58, on 55th Street and Ninth Avenue on time and ready to play. And, as usual, he made a sartorial statement few viewers could forget: He donned a hip plaid jacket, white shirt and tie, a sporty driving cap, bamboo sunglasses, and a pair of Hush Puppies that never stayed still as he pounded out a characteristically angular yet swinging rendition of "Blue Monk."
i used t play this in t 70ties stones,beatles era.
still do
Couldn't resist...
Look who're watching ? A great footage.
Sooooooooooooo coooooooooooooooooooool...thanx....
Count Basie was just pissing him off, sitting right at the piano 😆
i need those shades!
I love Count Basie's reaction to Monk at 2:24 ! Me too!
un piano sumamente juguetón.....vamos monk...q grande!
these are a few of my favorite things
so cool!!
coooool man...
monk was genuinely insane, but you must appreciate that his madness is what made him great.
Este ritmo es rompemadres y no chingaderas! Larga vida al desaparecido Thelonious Monk!
Hawkins loves it from the start, Basie is convinced by 2:25, and Jimmy Rushing hates every note.
Jimmy Rushing isn't some Hater,just a Hep- cat host,entertained but completely lost in fascination, by certain indepth forms of insane creativity,that is beyond his own comprehensive grasp.
In the key of E w/ 4 sharps! Great for Bass. Wild on Piano!
Genius!
Bad ass!
sweet,,,,blue monk,,!!
This sounds really good I'm learning it in piano class Nathan Xie
It's Coleman Hawkins who was working with Monk at this time. The Monk / Hawkins sides are just superb.
Rob
pure geniality
Just Fab
Count looking at him brought a LOT of weight. It's what he meant by that he didn't like him looking at him... it made it a bigger challenge to keep on the head wrap you need to be original [and he was all about that]. Ever play for family as heavy as your Dad? Same thing :-)) A Monk like statement of respect. The Count was the original dynamic piano player to stab a note and let it ride. Speed wasn't nearly as important as playing it perfect. Monk was perfectly off speed and Trope-ic. He gets your attention all through the performance with this timing over the drum time. Fantastic bit of film this. What program was this anyone?
It was the jazz-dedicated episode of The Seven Lively Arts, some tv series
"the sound of jazz" from 1957
DR. Monk is the Heaviest! Creating the most Contraversial Original Non-conventional, Bebop Blues tracks as a Black American Big City Jazz experienced player of all times.Jabbin' & throwin' incomprehensible unpredictable notes around in his own clever mind made up uncanny compositions.It's unheard of still even in todays time.The Academic Jazz community,classical professionals,who are forever bewildered, & still cant pick-up on what he was throwin' down on key board.Tryin to figure out to plaigerize & creatively expose the mystery of his algorythmic formulas,even to his grave.Lmao!That particular Piano had so many of the Jazz Greats from time to time, sitting in on the set, like Count Basie & others in their crew on the scene. Bangin' certain Blues notes on the ebony & ivory so profusely ,that the wooden hammers that hit the strings inside the sound box were broken
/cracked, & in some places worn thin,making major key bebop notes ring out,alot moreso off-key like bicycle bells.Rare Classic Casual Basie film footage hanging out with Thelonius (The Natural),who The Count made uncomfortable by remotely watching his every note in complete artistic curiosity,(As like the more Commercialy safe Dizzie Gillespie vs. the Dangerous Underground Charley"Bird"Parker) allowing him his own off-beat rythmic frequency of undercurrents,which even surpasses himself,thru an historically memorable musical time in the TV-Land Limelight of those days.There is No- Doubt a definete Mad Genius reality of the True Creative Obscure! "Monk is the Funk!!"No joke!
Monk blew the Count's mind at 2:30. Awesome piano playing.
goddamn,his timing is unbelieveble ...
so fun!!
The other two musicians are Ahmed Abdul-Malik, the bassist who had been working with Monk for a while in his then-current stand at the Five Spot, and a drummer named Osie Johnson. And that dude sitting on the other side of the piano was none other than Count Basie. The TV producer thought it'd be neat to capture Basie's reaction to the music; but this really pissed off Monk, who swore that the next time Basie had a gig he would go and "sit across the piano and stare at him the whole time."
Are those bamboo earpieces on his shades? "God I miss the '50's".
Yes.
the monk is the funk,!!
Certainly one of Monk's greatest live spots. For him, earlier is better. (I'd like to see a film of him in the early '50s, when he was at his absolute peak as a composer.)
This is one of the most swinging things ever.
faaaaaaaaaaaaantastic !!!
I think this is my favorite Monk performance, not composition but performance. Just genius, so far out but so far in the pocket.
That's a fast tempo for Monk. Malek is the player on the brilliant find recently of the Monk-Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert. I'd forgotten about Osie, once an extremely busy drummer. Usually on more commercial projects. Hey, there's Hawk. He thinks it swings, so it does. The trick on Blue Monk is to play the last phrase on the weak, not the strong, beat. Many musicians add or subtract a beat from the song because of that one deceptive part.
Skip the intro by going straight to 0:20
exactly.
Count Basie just chillin’.
light years ahead of the rest.
@MarcBrewer I hang my head in shame, thanks for educating me. :)
I adore Basie, but the only onlooker who really seemed to get it was Coleman Hawkins. And more power to him for it!
Do you have to grin like an ape to demonstrate that you 'get it' -- ? John Crosby was Monk's greatest champion among jazz critics.
???Basie was certainly digging it!
@@philipterzian4581
What's the problem with enjoying Monk's music by smiling?
Cool cat!!
2014.12..26 蓄音機音楽会主催の「ジャズ大集成／サミット13」で蓄音機／ヴイクトローラ製クレデンザーでSPレコードでのセロリアス・モンクの初期のピアノ演奏を聴いた。録音年代1947~50年にかけてのもの。
Makes me want to learn this on the acoustic bass I know an arrangement for fingerstyle guitar taught by Duck Baker bound to be on here as well
beautiful spastic precision. At any moment monk looks like he might jump up from his piano and bolt out the door. Genius celebrated lasts life times and transcend ones own individual life.. Thelonius is something else now, isnt he? More like a tragic genius who saw the problems coming and not do anything about it.
Classic back in History,Count Basie himself,was thrown-off by Monks screwball off-pitched original 'birth of cool' blue notes,but when they all finaly caught what he's throwin' down,a fly-ball that was already out the park.and in the pocket.Wow!
Un campo lleno de "flores de pan" desprendiendose por mi sólido en vestido blanco de princesa y descalza de mis ^Guillermina azules a botón/Es.
Grato recuerdo 👏🎼🙆♂️
j'aime!
@mrhipsterdoofus great story.I'll have to check out the doc.
Basie was really diggin' Monk, couldn't help swinging at 1:16
hallelujah
@Moxxuren The "racist" white guy (John Crosby) is the reason why you have this film to enjoy. In America in the 1950's, a black performer as popular as Nat Cole could not get a sponsor. So it was only because Crosby had enough pull that this got put on TV. This is from the same show that had Billie Holiday and Lester Young together for the last time. The show was called the "Seven Lively Arts".
@Pentaerythrittetrani - I agree with you. That is actually a better way of looking at it.
these guys are all higher than my kite on them gov coff lollies an i can dig it
Annointted!
There again at 2:45 The Monk delvs into the Rt 66 theme. I don't know if he really wrote "Rt 66" but he sure owned it
NIce!
Flott!!!
I'm in love with monks right foot
1:35 gets me every time!