| Contents |
Beginning and early reception (1917-1954). Minton's and before. Young Monk / Peter Keepnews (1989) ; Then came zombie music and The Mad Monk / Mary Lou Williams (1954) ; Hotbox: Thelonious Monk in the '40s / George Hoefer (1962) ; To be, or not ... to bop / Dizzy Gillespie with Al Fraser (1979) ; Thelonious Monk-genius of bop / Bill Gottlieb (1947) -- Blue note. Early reviews / Various (1948-1951) ; Mosaic survey / Max Harrison (1985) ; The piano man who dug be-bop / Ira Peck (1948) ; Thelonious / Orrin Keepnews (1948) ; Bop's Dixie to Monk / George T. Simon (1948) ; The high priest of be-bop / Paul Bacon (1949) -- Prestige and Paris. Thelonious Monk: portrait of the artist as an enigma / Raymond Horricks (1959) -- Critical recognition (1955-1961). Interviews. Just call him Thelonious / Nat Hentoff (1956) ; Ira Girler interviews Thelonious Monk / Ira Gitler (1957) -- Brilliant corners and Riverside. Liner notes for Brilliant corners / Orrin Keepnews (1957) ; Down beat review / Nat Hentoff (1957) ; Metronome review (1957) -- Reports from selected venues. Heard in person: Thelonious Monk Quartet / Dom Cerulli (1957) ; Thelonious Monk at Town Hall / Gunther Schuller (1959) ; I wanted to make it better: Monk at the Blackhawk / Grover Sales (1960) -- The nonmusic press. Man, you gotta dig that cat, Thelonious, the thinker, the skull, the long medulla / Albert Goldman (1959) ; Monk Talk / Robert Kotlowitz (1961) -- Critics. Monk or the misunderstanding / André Hodeir (1959) ; Thelonious Monk / Michael James (1957) -- Mainstream arrival and withdrawal (1962-1981). The Time cover. The loneliest Monk / Barry Farrell (1964) ; Feather's nest / Leonard Feather (1964) ; The acceptance of Monk / Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) (1964) ; Well, you needn't / Gary Elder (1971) -- The blindfold test and a last interview. Blindfold test / Leonard Feather (1966) ; Monk Talk / Pearl Gonzalez (1971) -- Behind the scenes. Rehearsing with Monk / Martin Williams (1969) -- Critical summaries. Monk in perspective / Ian Carr (1967) ; Modern jazz in search of maturity / Martin Williams (1970) -- After Monk (1982-present). In memoriam. The talk of the town / Whitney Balliett (1982) ; Thelonious Monk: a remembrance / Orrin Keepnews (1982) -- Reflections on Monk. Thelonious Monk: Gothic provincial / Gerald Early (1985) ; Master of space / Gene Santoro (1994) -- The music. The Monk piano style / Ran Blake (1982) ; "Nice work if you can get it": Thelonious Monk and popular song / Scott DeVeaux (1999). |
| Abstract |
Of all the major jazz artists, Thelonious Monk was one of the most original musical thinkers--nonconformist, idiosyncratic, imaginative, eccentric--in a word, unique. This book has brought together some of the most revealing pieces ever written on Monk, providing a full portrait of the musician and his impact on the jazz world. Here is a wealth of information that was previously scattered and difficult to locate, including a wide range of articles, profiles, reviews, interviews, liner notes, and music analyses. Ranging in date from 1947 to 1999, these 39 pieces feature the work of some of our best jazz critics, including Leonard Feather, Ira Gitler, Nat Hentoff, Andre Hodeir, Gunther Schuller, Martin Williams, and many others. The book spans Monk's childhood and early recordings with Blue Note and Prestige, his Riverside period and the critical recognition that followed the release of Brilliant Corners, and his fame and fortune during his Columbia years. Readers will find colorful descriptions of Monk's eccentric lifestyle as well as thoughtful commentary on his unorthodox piano technique, which was marked by off-center accents and idiosyncratic voicings, broken rhythms, alternately dense and stripped down chords, and creative use of silence. The editor also provides a general introduction and brief introductions to each piece as well as critical annotations that place the work in context. Controversial, often contradictory, and always engaging, these readings offer a complete view of the man, his music, and his time. The only such book on Monk's life and work, this volume will be "must reading" for jazz fans and scholars, musicians, music lovers, and readers with an interest in African-American culture. |
