An Authentic Sound

Thelonious Monk grew up in the proper environment that was needed for him to develop his musical talent. This place, San Juan Hill, was a heavily populated, diverse, and racially tense neighborhood in New York City. As said by Monk himself, one could walk over to the next block and end up in another country (Kelly 19).  Race riots that occurred (such as the one in May, 1917) resembled a war between country boundaries. However, patriotism was no longer a separating factor for people here; instead it was language and culture. Violence became more of an individualized matter. People would personally insult others on the street. As Monk witnessed himself, “the Southern blacks called West Indians ‘monkey chasers,’ and we often referred to Southern blacks as ‘possum eaters.’” (Kelly 18). A Chinese restaurant on 59^th and Columbus called Far East would not allow African-Americans to dine inside. Victims of this racial prejudice would retaliate by standing outside chanting “Chinaman, Chinaman, eat dead rats.” (Kelly 19). These racial tensions affected the daily lives of those who lived there. This was reflected in the works of Thelonious Monk, who expressed himself as an individual.

San Juan Hill was saturated with just as much violence as it was with musical culture. This neighborhood had a strong sense of community that would often have people bound together through music. Monk’s mother, Barbara, made sure her children went to church, where music was often played. They attended Union Baptist where Monk would learn various hymns which inspired him at an early age. Barbara had a profound influence on her son’s life by exposing him to the city’s rich culture such as Edwin Franko Goldman’s sixty-piece orchestra that performed in Central Park and the Columbus Hill Neighborhood Center (Kelly 22). In addition, without the strong sense of community of San Juan Hill, “a lady” may have never been compelled to give a piano to the Monk family, which forever altered the life of Thelonious (Kelly 24).

Thelonious Monk did not exhibit dominative signs of social activism. This is shown by his statement, “There’s no reason why I should go through that Black Power shit now. I guess everybody in New York had to do that, right?” (Kelly 19). He would primarily influence society by fighting against wrongdoings on an individual level. This character trait of him is seen when at the age of sixteen, he stood up against a group of kids who were about to attack his soon-to-be friend, Sonny (Kelly 33).  

With America’s rationale in fighting for democracy in WWII, people quickly became aware of their own hypocrisy. There was still segregation and racial tension in society. People would often protest against this unfairness and music proved to be one of the few peaceful means of achieving this. For example, Lionel Hampton claims that the song “Hey Pa Pa Rebob” signified the desire to destroy prejudice and discrimination (Lecture 2/28). However, Monk has a passive-aggressive, yet non-violent style of music. As seen in his song “Blue Monk” he plays his notes sharply and aggressively. He defies normal conventions of piano playing by crossing his hands on the keyboard for a good amount of time. (Youtube, Thelonious Monk - Blue Monk).  Monk would distinguish himself further in an ironic way by standing up next to the piano and let others play their solos. He would even set his elbow on the keyboard to create loud noises that would rival those of a cymbal. (Discussion 2/26).

In 1958, Monk was arrested for unintentionally breaking a Jim Crow law that was still active in the state of Delaware. He was confronted by the police just for being a black man out late with a white woman and an expensive car. Monk rebelled with every ounce of his soul. Unfortunately, this did lead to violence and his arrest. This “strategy” against his detainment had no sign of submission. “If they told him to sit down, he stood up. If they told him to say something, he said nothing” (Kelly 254). This incident deeply affected him as an individual and led him to act in this defying manner. His ability to maintain the style of his music (by not responding to racial conflict) shows his strength and ability to transcend racial tensions.

Monk’s art that epitomized modernism was capable of fostering a unique community. It was a bohemian community which emphasized the artist, intellectual, and avant-garde. Monk was even seen as a religious or sacred figure by his listeners. According to his audience, he had an abstract quality and authentic Negro sound (Kelly 232). His music defined modern jazz.