Thelonious Monk
Born: 10th October 1917, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S.
Died: 17th February 1982, Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Nationality: American
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Well, You Needn't". Monk is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.
Monk's compositions and improvisations feature dissonances and angular melodic twists and are consistent with his unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of switched key releases, silences, and hesitations.
Monk's distinct look included suits, hats, and sunglasses.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelonious_Monk
Browse: Thelonious Monk
Further Reading: Thelonious Monk
-
Solo Piano Jazz
8th Dec 2025
Solo jazz pianists, free from the constraints of a band, use their virtuosity and imagination to explore the boundless possibilities of improvised rhythm, harmony, and melody.
-
Thelonious Monk Quartet at Palo Alto
25th Sep 2020
A unique window into a moment in time; the Thelonious Monk Quartet live a school hall in 1968, at a gig arranged by a 15-year-old, and recorded by the janitor! The results more than live up to the backstory.
All Genres: Thelonious Monk
Bebop
Big Band & Swing
Early Jazz & Dixieland
Hard Bop
