http://youtu.be/MGbLRaaqrCc
Here is a video of Thelonious Monk playing piano in Berlin. Though he is at first playing alone, he does not lack the energy or creativity of a full jazz ensemble. The many “wrong” notes he incorporates into the pieces provide the ear tonal surprises, thus creating a vibrant musical atmosphere. Also, watching Monk play is a delight; the music seems to flow out of him spontaneously. Please enjoy.
I mostly have a classical music background, so I never had this notion of “wrong notes.” It was always play whats shown, and in part that’s probably because the element of improvisation isn’t as emphasized in classical music as it is in jazz. Sure, there are dissonant chords and non chord tones in classical music, but usually they still function within the key/harmony in some way. I’m not sure whether this would make jazz easier to play or harder… You have more liberties with the kinds of notes you can play, but it’d be hard to make it still sound musical without much experience. This is a very simplified observation as its not considering other key differences between jazz and classical, but nonetheless Monk is really grooving in this video. I really like all the harmonies in “Caravan” starting at 8:19.
It’s interesting how he makes the “wrong notes” sound somewhat right. I guess it’s the way he resolves them. However, I still found this a little hard to listen to. It’s a little unnerving.
I really dug the stride thing he was doing at the beginning of Satin Doll. One thing I loved about this video, and Monk in general, is his respect for the time. Obviously, he throws in some strange rhythmic ideas, but the time never shifts – it’s always solid and resolves right on the pulse. Prof. Motley always says that, “happiness is a half-step away.” I feel like Monk encapsulates this because he lets you sit in a dissonance for a second and brings the resolution that is like this huge exhale. Also….honorary mention to that drummer’s glasses toward the end.
Wow. That was something new. When Monk started to play, I thought he was making a lot of mistakes by hitting those keys that were close together, creating that jarring dissonance. But, after listening through the tracks, they had a sort of charm that seemed to make the music his. It’s still a bit weird to hear these “wrong notes” yet they bring color to music that Monk was playing and it definitely showed his take and style on Ellington’s songs.
The video isn’t showing up for me on this page, so I searched through YouTube and found a video of Monk playing several Ellington songs in Berlin. I’m almost certain that it’s the same as what you posted. Listening to Monk, I found my ear still being offended by some passages even after all these years I’ve been familiar with his work.I find it really easy to enjoy when he plays in a way familiar to our ears (like some parts of Caravan). Even though it’s a little harder to listen to, his much more dissonant work doesn’t deserve the criticism it may receive. As shown here, there’s a clear precision in all he’s doing. His style may be unfamiliar and his technique frowned upon, but he seems to have purpose and intent in what he’s doing, and that’s more than enough to define it as great music. I had a friend who completely loved jazz; so much so, that he named his first born Miles. When it came to his last son who was born, he tried to name him after Monk, but his wife was apparently very much against it. I guess his first name, like his music, pushes the boundaries and may be a little too much for some people.