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Thelonious Monk
Straight, No Chaser
Album: Seven Soundtrack
Genres: Jazz
If you’re man (or woman) enough to take your jazz straight, then step up for this shot of classic Monk. Guaranteed not to cause hangovers! |
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The second half of Monk’s lengthy solo on this live cut is a perfect example of what set this jazz master apart from the rest of the piano-playing pack. After following the instantly recognizable theme with a few reasonably melodic runs, Monk then heads for no-man’s land with a series of fractured improvisations that keep diminishing in scope. By the end of his solo, he’s comping with a set of chords that evoke “Chopsticks,” and you can almost hear him chuckling to himself as some audience members doubtless scratch their heads. But while such wry moments helped make Monk Monk, they also shouldn’t diminish appreciation for his compositional skills. His reputation as a difficult guy has mistakenly led some people to believe his music is difficult to listen to, which is hardly the case -- Monk’s logic isn’t always immediately apparent, but his work isn’t exactly free jazz, either. And don’t ignore the relaxed but powerful playing of his quintet, who stand ready to fill in any gaps that Monk might leave on a whim.
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Dan LeRoy |
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Dan LeRoy is the music and entertainment writer for the Charleston Daily Mail. He serves as an associate editor for Grafitti, a statewide entertainment newspaper, and has also written for several music-related publications including Launch.com, Boston Rock, and Lexicon.
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I’m not quite sure why Monk named this tune the way he did. Perhaps because it’s a straight forward jazz piece. A good tune to introduce you to Monk if you aren’t familiar with him. Its not wildly avant guarde and pretty mellow. It’s a little long for a first time jazz listener, but great if you’re just starting to really get into jazz. Plus there’s a great percussion solo toward the end.
Yasmin
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for Thelonious Monk
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Official Monk Institute Site
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All Music Guide: Monk
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The Thelonious Monk Website
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Graeme Waitzkin's Thelonious Monk Page
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