Blog #4

Thelonius Monk

Monk alludes to the diversity of San Juan Hill. When Monk states, “You go to the next block and you’re in a different country,” (Kelley, 19), he is referring to the abundance of first and second-generation immigrants in San Juan Hill.  The influence on Monk’s music comes from his experience growing up in such a diverse area and, “with a diversity of people came a diversity of culture”, (Kelley, 18). The intermingling of these cultures and music, again, created another revolutionary artist.

The lasting impacts of Monk’s exposure to a diverse community of people manifested itself in his music. He was exposed to classical, Caribbean, European, and other African-American traditions, each of which had their own influences. Monk’s exposure to classical music is a result of his other’s introduction to “the city’s rich cultural life”, (Kelley, 22).  His time spent at Central Park he became fond of the European and American composers, “During the summer of 1923, the inaugural year of the Central Park series, Goldman’s band gave sixty concerts…Five years old, Thelonius spent many warm summer nights listening to such works as Schubert’s “serenade”, Tchaikovsky’s “Slavic March”…”, (Kelley, 22). There was also a large population of West Indians, Southerners, and blacks from the Caribbean that had an impact on Thelonius’s style, “With the music, cuisine, dialects, and manners of the Caribbean and the American South everywhere in the West 60’s, virtually ever kid became a kind of cultural hybrid. Thelonius absorbed Caribbean music…One can certainly hear explicit Caribbean rhythms in some of Monk’s original compositions, most notably “Bye-ya” and “Bemsha Swing”, (Kelley, 23). Other European influence stemmed from his time as a student of Simon Wolf, who was an Austrian-born Jew. Although Wolf would not be able to teach Monk much before his talent would surpass him he taught him about Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, and Mozart (Kelley, 26). Monk’s own black community also took a toll on his music, as he also received a heavy influence from the church.  All of these cultures attributed something different to Monk’s style, and paired with his own talent and unique personality he created an unorthodox sound.

The tensions created from the existence of a diverse culture also influenced Monk’s personal life as an adult and influential figure. As a child he had many experiences with racism and these events transpired onto his adulthood, including his run-ins with the police department. His view of the police department because of their racist practices, “they epitomized racism in the city”, (Kelley, 19). Monk tried to transcend racism mainly through his interracial relationship with Nica, who was Jewish. Monk’s music, with all its embedded influences also allowed him to go beyond racial lines and foster a new kind of community that did not abide by the traditional constrictions. “Monk’s music embodies a vision of a new community of artistic souls-rebels against middle class conformity”, (Stewart, 2013, Feb. 28). The Five Spot acted as an environment for his transcendental work to flourish. His acceptance of the younger generation and among both Blacks and Whites also allowed him to go beyond the typical American racial segregation during that time period, (Stewart, 2013, Feb. 28).