Thelonious Monk by Cabu

An anthology (1952-1956)

Monk is one of the most fascinating characters in the world of jazz : long misunderstood, by his peers as well as by critics and the public, he had to wait many years before finding recognition. It is true that his unpredictable character, his strange behavior on stage, the improbable hats with which he liked to wear had contributed to isolating him and masking the profound artistic originality of this extraordinary pianist and composer , who had banned from his vocabulary musical all the modes of seduction that most of his colleagues cherished, namely virtuosity, roundness and brilliance, to concentrate and deepen in his own way the essential virtues of African-American music: musical consistency , strength of expression and swing .