LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Oh my, Thelonious Monk's music is pure genious

ProAce -- 01/13/2005, 00:03:29 -- #10322

I just listened to some of his recordings, and I must say, the way he uses dissonance in such a beautiful and outstanding way is just amazing. He uses the strangest of chords yet it still sounds beautiful. Especially is his version of "Just a Gigolo", it's just beautiful. How exactly is he able to pull that off?

Mike -- 01/13/2005, 02:37:01 -- #10324

He pulls that off because he is not "using dissonance".  That is how you hear it.  To him those were the right notes for  that place.  He was not a shock jock like Howard Stern using dissonace for effect.  In the same way he did not think of his chords of as strange... it is you that do.  To be able to pull of what he pulls off or begin to understand it is to begin to understand why you think his chords are strange when in fact they fit perfectly and make perfect harmnic and  mathematical sence in every possable way.

comrade c -- 01/13/2005, 05:37:08 -- #10333

can't put it any better than how mike said it. to monk, what some might call 'dissonance'... could've been 'consonant' to him.  could this be why so many monk 'imitators' sound... 'off minor'? his rhythms and use of space though.... like miles, but in a different way, he says SO MUCH with SO LITTLE.

ProAce -- 01/13/2005, 22:53:05 -- #10364

The word "strange" seems to have a bit of a negative connotation. They are unique seems to be more fitting. Either way, the way hes plays is simply amazing.

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