Jazz Articles about Thelonious Monk

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Libero Farnè, teche visive e urgenza della memoria

by Gaetano Fiore
September 28, 2026

Nel periodo giovanile mi sono avvicinato al jazz, leggendo interessanti testi, alcuni monografici, altri dei veri e propri saggi la cui trattazione relativa alle relazioni del jazz con l'arte contemporanea mi incuriosiva tantissimo. Particolarmente illuminanti e formativi per me furono quelli di Libero Farnè apparsi su Musica Jazz dagli anni '80: un artista a tutto tondo nonché autorevole critico di jazz in Italia. Non sto qui a citare gli innumerevoli articoli analitici che ho letto e che ancora oggi, a distanza di ...

Album Review

Thelonious Monk: Monk Live In Paris 1967 Volume One

Read "Monk Live In Paris 1967 Volume One" reviewed by Jack Kenny

by Jack Kenny
July 31, 2026

This Paris concert formed part of a European tour organized by the impresario George Wein, who had previously presented numerous Thelonious Monk Quartet engagements. Seeking something different, Wein proposed an expanded ensemble. Monk was initially reluctant to depart from the quartet format and only agreed after considerable persuasion. Crucially, he retained artistic control: he selected the additional musicians himself and insisted on using Hall Overton's arrangements, familiar from the earlier concerts Town Hall (Riverside 1959) and Philharmonic Hall (Columbia 1964). ...

Album Review

Thelonious Monk: Live In Paris 1967 Volume One

Read "Live In Paris 1967 Volume One" reviewed by Joshua Weiner

by Joshua Weiner
June 14, 2026

The discography of Thelonious Monk, bebop architect, composer of enduring standards and idiosyncratically influential pianist, is vast. In addition to Monk's genre-defining studio recordings, several live sets were released during his lifetime, including a notable series put out by Columbia Records during Monk's time on that most major of major labels, from 1962 to 1968. Live In Paris 1967 (Volume One) is a notable addition for several reasons: it is the first official release of material by the Monk Estate ...

Album Review

Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins: Thelonious Monk with Sonny Rollins 1953 to 1957 Revisited

Read "Thelonious Monk with Sonny Rollins 1953 to 1957 Revisited" reviewed by Stefano Merighi

by Stefano Merighi
April 28, 2026

Negli anni Cinquanta il jazz era assai potente e si rafforzava anche in virtù di un'attrazione magnetica che ne avvicinava i protagonisti, individualisti sì ma anche sedotti dalle possibilità di avventure comuni. Tale magnetismo si è spesso concretizzato tra le figure torreggianti di Thelonious Monk e di Sonny Rollins. Questo CD della ezz-thetics ricostruisce la loro frequentazione nel periodo di un lustro, da quando Monk era ancora una sorta di reietto per il music business, e Rollins un ...

The Big Question

What Shapes Jazz Improvisation: Culture, Training, or the Moment?

by Anastasia Bogomolets
April 10, 2026

Improvisation is widely regarded as an inherent characteristic of jazz, with the exception of a few subgenres. At the same time, there is a contrasting view that much of modern improvisation amounts to a recombination of well-learned, drilled scales and licks. There is also a third dimension to consider: many folk music traditions across cultures incorporate improvisation as an essential element. This leads to a broader question: to what extent does a musician's cultural background shape ...

Album Review

Thelonious Monk: Bremen 1965

Read "Bremen 1965" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
December 5, 2025

The first official release of the Bremen concert, carefully remastered from the original tapes, is more than just an archival curiosity; it is a revelation. Recorded on an evening characterized by generous tempos and a relaxed exchange, Bremen 1965 reaffirms Thelonious Monk and his experienced quartet as they pay their most fundamental tributes: the uneven poetry of his time, the crystalline bite of Charlie Rouse's tenor saxophone, the steady ballast of Larry Gales's bass, and Ben Riley's propulsive subtleties on ...

Radio & Podcasts

Monktober Continues, New Music from Charles Lloyd and More, Birthday Music from Roy Hargrove and More

by David W. Daniels
October 21, 2025

Monktober continues with very early recordings by Coleman Hawkins and Milt Jackson featuring Thelonious Monk on piano. Also, some of Monk's own compositions by himself and others. Classics by other artists including Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, and more. New music from Lori Williams, Ruby Rushton, and more. Recognizing this week's jazz musician birthdays with music from Freddy Cole, Kazumi Watanabe, and more.Playlist Grachan Moncur III Octet “Monk In Wonderland"--from Exploration (Capri) 00:00 Coleman Hawkins with Thelonious Monk “Drifting ...