[Dixielandjazz] Monk Plays OKOM

[Marek Boym]

Hello Steve,
Can't help it - we do agree from time to time!
However, the critical opinion quoted proves nothing; after all there
have been critics who consider Shepp or Ayler the evolution of Lester
Young's style.

Bby the way, that "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is not stride (my
favourite piano style).
Cheers

On 13/07/07, Steve Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Marek posted about Thelonious Monk's "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" as being
> OKOM. I agree.
>
> And why not? After all, one of Monk's early, "mentors" was James P. Johnson
> who lived around the corner from where Monk grew up. Much of what Monk does
> relates directly to stride piano, (which OPINION got me into big trouble on
> the DJML a few years ago). <grin>
>
> But then, I knew Monk fairly well and he often spoke about James P. When
> playing certain blues, he'd put in a stride left hand and would say with a
> chuckle: "Sound just like James P don't I." I had a record of a 7 or so
> minute blues he did in stride style, but gave it away about 40 years ago to
> a young jazz wannabe. It was a hoot to listen to. Can't remember the name of
> the blues but still hear that stride left hand in my memory banks.
>
> Not convinced? See below OPINION about the short history of stride piano:
>
> "Joplin¹s pianism gave direct rise to the piano style of one Ferdinand
> Joseph Lamothe (ca. 1885/90-1941), AKA Jelly Roll Morton, who retained heavy
> syncopation in his playing style, which Morton humbly considered jazz and
> declared himself its father. Morton¹s piano style logically evolved into the
> stride piano of James P. Johnson (1894-1955), Thomas Wright ³Fats² Waller
> (1904-1943) and William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholoff ³Willie the Lion²
> Smith (1897-1973). This evolutionary stream of piano originality ended with
> Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) who further transformed the stride style into
> his own unique brand of jazz."
>
> Source C. Michael Bailey Senior writer/reviewer for "All About Jazz"
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
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