Tim Conley

Tim Conley: Thelonious Sphere Monk

by Kevin Press
February 1, 2018

Jazz anniversaries are always a bit underwhelming. They come and go, their significance trumpeted in earnest Facebook posts. At the end of the day though, the artists we honor remain underappreciated by casual music listeners. The 100th anniversary of Thelonious Monk's birth date last October is a case in point. His contribution to American culture--and to jazz culture globally--is on par with that of the 20th century's great artists. To describe him as a giant is to state ...