THELONIOUS MONK - Blue Monk

[mfcourteau]

My favorite musician. Period. I love how he takes one last chop at the keyboard and simply stands up and walks away at 6:16. It's like writing dialogue. Say it and get out.

[arich990]

I never thought that feel could be that grate...

[coolraceralex]

2:46 Monk is standing there. Hilarious!

[railcar123]

Good tune to practice double stops

[remilobry]

here is a true story. i was in san franscico in 1970/1971 (i am french). i went to hear thelonius monk in a club but they wouldn't let me in because they were serving beer and i wasn't 19. on the other hand, i could go to the filmore and get acid/methadrine/speed as i would a candy. so much for the usa.

[famapublica]

Melodious Thunk at it's finest.

[chillcherokee926048]

This song is bad!!! Say what? :-) :-) Go Monk baby. Play if for me one more time.

[bmwluvr2003]

The fucking tops man!

[Charmander6942]

i guess 68 people tried piano and failed.

[EKflylo]

PEOPLE...Monk has other shit than Blue Monk!!! Go explore!!! Check out Stuffey Turkey and Little Rootie Tootie

[foah201]

Love that sound.

[roycolbert1]

I love Thelonious Monk. No one ever wore a hat or played the piano like him.

[MAJIKJIGI]

soo simply beautiful

[phanioma]

yeah!!!!

[evaibohus]

Woooooooooooooooh.....

[LukeBeebobbariba]

Gorgeous.

[Cervo50]

un verdadero genio

[TopNoTchVSOP]

"Blue Monk" just take me away like a good fine aged cognac w/ two pieces of ice on the rocks. Play it again music man Sam!

[TheeOriginalG]

Got to love the suit with a beanie

[MrBubblegumballs]

dig the way Gales plays behind the bridge for a second and rigs in the end of arpagio right on top of the two notes!

[Blueaspen391]

me gusta la parte en la que Monk deja de tocar

[epistrophy99]

There is nothing like listening to vintage Monk. He is a paradigm of sophistication in his simplicity. His rhythmic ideas, fragmental chordal harmonies and musical sense of humor always make his something special to listen to.

[davmax7]

Caralho. esse cara é muito foda!!!!

[mamadari]

Es una maravilla escuchar a Monk...Gracias

[RocketJones38]

Playing in a museum ? Nice place.

[redsns1957]

my pop's used to listen to this when i was younger.i would say to my brothers daddy's drinking again.man only if i knew then what i know now.pop's had it going on.now Thelonious,Bird,Billi,Coltrane damn what else do you need?(maybe a small hit of Johnny Black)

[rcrespo357]

240p life.

[lucaspire80]

this thing makes me crazy

[elijahills]

who is the drummer?

[FrameFitz]

@elijahills The drummer is Ben Riley

[Crus072]

@elijahills

check out ben riley on Sonny Rollins' The Bridge. He's amazing.

[tubeyoujj]

GREATTTTT

[COMarc420]

If you don't play an instrument, go get one. I picked up guitar at age 35, and I'm so glad I did. I doubt I'm any good. I don't play for anyone but myself. But i have fun with it.  And, its change the way I listen to and watch musicians. I don't call myself an expert. Far from it. But I'm a human being who likes to make some noise some days, and by being that, my appreciation for other music and musicians has lept and grown. If I didn't play, I doubt I'd listen as much to music these day

[Stoner075]

@COMarc420 You my dear are like 500% right and God bless you for that. Peace Out and ...like a ton of blessings.

[shuffleman321]

@COMarc420 I had the same experience when I started learning piano a few years ago. I really had a new found respect for music. You might discover a new found interest that you never thought you had before.

[hippydiva1975]

@COMarc420 funny...same here. guitar at 35 and enjoying every second of it. always enjoyed music myself, yet when you perform yourselves it truly brings a whole new dimension!

[jetlamit]

@COMarc420 sorry marc ... i'm agree with you .. play musik it's a ...(sorry i dont play english)...well ..i'v played sax when i was young ... today i'am 40 .. and sometimes in my car .. i play harmonica .. i'm really baddddd.. but ... i try ... listen musik ... play it a little it's really .... in french ... je remercie, je veneres les personne qui depuis la nuit des temps ... invente ..crée ..chanson et musique .. .je sais pourquoi j'ai de oreille .... see ya buddy

[keedycolin1]

@COMarc420 Awesome man! Love to hear people picking up instruments!

[TheHinaandmeme]

私は１７歳からジャズを聴き始めたのですが、その頃ミンガスやモ­ンクが逝ってそれからジャズ・ジャイアントが次々と亡くなったの­です。初めて買ったレコードがコルトレーンの「クル・セ・ママ」­ですから、モンクを聴いてもさほど違和感なかったし、すばらしい­とも思わなかったのですが、３０代になってある日突然、モンクの­ピアノが私の心の中で輝き出したのです。映画「真夏の夜のジャズ­」で彼はほとんど無視されていますが、こうしてユーチューブで彼­のプレイを見て、「なるほど！モンクの鍵盤の叩きかた、左右の手­の使い方はこうだったのか！」と、ピアノを弾けない私にも解りま­した、ただしそれはモンクのプレイのごく一部なのですが・・・。­マイルスとは「殺してやる」といった仲ですが、どちらも「ブラッ­ク・ミュージックの革新」との意味ではどちらもすばらしいもので­あったのでしょうか、モンクというピアニストは例えて云えば「音­楽のマッドサイエンティスト」では失礼かも知れないが。グレート­スタイリスト・ジャズ・ジャイアントが絶滅した今、このような映­像で楽しめることはすばらしいことではないでしょうか！

[diggabledork]

I love how Monk gets up from the piano after his solo for the bass player's.

[fc2122]

It's pretty sad people don't know how to have a spirited debate without resorting to personal insults and foul language. It's just pointless.

[fa31sayaendo]

素晴らしい！！！

[trumpetsandbookmarks]

I like how people in this video just don't seem to have a need to ''like'' comments.....they're just focused on the right thing, music.

[tcorbridge89]

I wonder who dislikes these kind of videos. How do you end up here on accident? And who would purposely come here to dis Thelonious?

[Arthro92]

@tcorbridge89

i couldn't have asked a better question or wondered a better thought.

[andromedarr]

@tcorbridge89 Haters....they are tha cancer of our society....nobody likes them and yet they are so damn hard to defeat....

[PracticeMakesAwesome]

I dont understand the conflict on this thread. If musicians cannot unite and converse in a considerate manner, what hope do humans have. This song Is the song that sent me on my way to being a jazz musician. I find it hard to say anything critical about a person as influential as him besides "this isn't really my cup of tea". I have friends that don't dig miles Davis. I have friends that dont dig Byrd. However can they really legitimately criticize their bodies of work?

[CacaBuuuuuuuuuuuulle]

Genius.

[PhilExXxTreM]

I've got a question. Is there someone, who's listening to this song, who don't play an instrument?

I think only the fact, that you're enjoying this kind of art, shows, that you are all experts - for yourselve! I would bet, that min. the half of the listeners of Thelonious Monk are musicians. Why I think so? Damn, it's Jazz and it's something special today!

Great song.

[MissMatwild]

@PhilExXxTreM I don't play any! Great music can always be greatly appreciated!

[dontadjustmyseat]

@PhilExXxTreM I don't play any instrument, but I certainly enjoy listening to Monk.



[Crazycrisps]

@PhilExXxTreM Yeah I think people who don't play an instrument and listen to Jazz are very experienced listeners. If you play an instrument yourself you understand Jazz more and while time goes by you start enjoying it more, respecting it more. That's the power of jazz. Jazz musicians are the best as well I think.

[0live0wire0]

@Crazycrisps true, a year ago i didn't understand jazz at all it sounded all meaningless. It came to me one night while i was high. That's when i really heard jazz for the first time, recognized the whole structure, the amazing phrases they throw, the rhythm, the soul. I started asking myself where were my ears all these years, it was radical and couldn't stop listening it that whole night. I think it was Blue monk i played the most then, this guy shocked me. I testify.

[PaparoniFilms]

That Bass!!!!!!

[hinaandmeme1]

モンクは音楽の化学者だ。私は音楽の理論とか、ピアノの技巧はわ­からないけれど、彼のピアノの音の輝きを感じる、はっと目が覚め­るのだ。映像で見ると右手小指のでかいリングが隣の鍵を叩いてい­るのが判るが、それだけではないであろう。

[Spence576]

I personally like this piece, but there's an awful lot of repetition.

The key part is "explain to me what art means to YOU". The point is that you may have different tastes in jazz. I like it, but some people might not, and that doesn't make them bieber fans.

[fnkdrmmr]

Classic Monk. Mr. Monk was way ahead of his time. Sadly, today, he is still ahead of the masses and most musicians.

[Spence576]

Don't just claim that the people who dislike this are all Bieber fans. To begin with, all the people in the band are drugged - just look, and there's something about the piano part that lacks art.

[zografosodysseas]

@Spence576 "lack of art" is an art itself!

[CroissantOrange]

@zografosodysseas Think about what you say. Maybe you can become smarter by finding out how stupid and pretentious this statement is.

[zografosodysseas]

@CroissantOrange First of all, thank you for your concerns about my intelligence! To clear things up, my previous comment is not the obvious, contradicting statement. I just wanted to say that art sometimes (appreciated or not) can be self-referential. The "lack of art" that the friend below notices is just Monk's view of comping and soloing and is exactly that, self-referential and abstract. He refers to tools of his art (pauses and themes) to create a feeling to the listener.

[zografosodysseas]

@CroissantOrange He gives you a great degree of freedom to decide what that feeling is. Maybe if you hear closely you'll not notice absence but existence of a great melody! I'm just saying you have to try to understand his view. If you hear the swing good for you! :)! I don't think I'm being pretentious...

[CroissantOrange]

@zografosodysseas Nice try. But I don't give two damn about what Monk does nor all the pretty and flowery and semantic revisionary words you use to describe the simple idea of Improvisation (maybe you poured the whole dictionary out to find this one?). You say this : " "The lack of art" is art itself". Take a good look at that - Hard - and, maybe like the old stereo images, bullshit gonna catch your eyes.

[CroissantOrange]

@zografosodysseas And while you're at it, think about this too: "Absence but existence". All the bullshit, pussy bullshit.

[metallicjohn]

@CroissantOrange this man, zografosodysseas, clearly doesn't understand what jazz is, which shows a lack of experience upon the art itself. You clearly won this argument.

[CroissantOrange]

@metallicjohn Oh the "do not get jazz" argument, surprisingly come from a vulture. Do you? And "lack of experience upon the art"?! God, give me a fucking break from your pretentious mutual dick sucking and give a more near human arguments no? You clearly won the sad and herpes ridden cheerleader award.

[metallicjohn]

@CroissantOrange o sorry, i meant to direct that phrase to you. I remember i was in highschool, 9th grade or so, my music teacher told me that the people that dont like jazz obviously dont understand it. fucking faggot i'll slit your throat you cock sucking scum bag. come back with a better argument next time instead of saying basically what i just said to you, fucking dumb retard...trust me, you dont want to fight with someone thats smarter than you are

[CroissantOrange]

@metallicjohn Hmm tough but just another one of them stupid fucks who don't know what they talking about. I don't like or "get" jazz? Did your asshole told you that? But I do think that metal fans are a bunch of inbred shit eaters who can't tell the difference between arguments and insults. Also your music teacher probably forgot to tell you that going around telling people that they "don't get" Jazz without any further analysis just make you sound like a dumb pretentious illiterate fuck.

[metallicjohn]

@CroissantOrange i dont listen to metal, good try though faggot

[CroissantOrange]

@metallicjohn Yeah? Too bad, you're still a pretentious illiterate fuckwit. Crawl back to your mom-whore's womb and die, maggot.

[PoptartProdigy]

@CroissantOrange Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Settle down there, man. You too, metallicjohn. We're here for music. Just enjoy the Monk. Ease up. I don't know what your argument is, but please, settle it in PMs.

[metallicjohn]

@Spence576 You clearly dont know about jazz, explain to me please, what "art" is to you

[halcyonacoustic]

@Spence576 That's just how the song goes. It's the blues, but emphasizing dissonance and space. Even though his playing is jarring I wouldn't say it isn't artful.

[Riskius]

mostruoso

[therunningpiano]

not to diminish how great monk was, but his comping is kinda distracting when trying to listen to the sax guy solo, don't you think?

[Baxxbier]

@therunningpiano

Monk didn´t like the idea of conventional comping. When he comps it´s always motivically and closley connected to the theme.

[DanFindling]

haha monk looks like an homeless guy

[ihsanmovies]

"63 dislikes" people was a bieber fans

[786baqi]

5 minutes in I noticed i was getting in a nice high like place...

[FrankCastroAre]

he can have a dead baby fetus on his head...............and still be the BEST

[WackaJawacka]

Minimalism.

Loads of time for your ears... brain...To Hear what he is HEARING.

The space carries the tension... Just as the page carries the words.

It is a construkt. Composition.

YOUR senses DO the REST...

,,,Or NOT, as the case might be.

[Krafterr4]

It must be the mic's they used because I can hear some voices during some of this. Guys talking in the background. Plus in the beginning I was totally thinking of christmas carols from what I heard.

[HeyWheresKel]

i know monk is supposed to demonstrate real talent and creativity in his abstract piano form, but...

the hat. his demeanor. they might as well have picked a homeless guy off the street and paid him to play a piano.

[pitchxblack]

@HeyWheresKel You must be a total douche that hat is awesome

[bklmsoul]

@HeyWheresKel your words. their suggestions. they may have picked an ignoramus off the internet and given him a small box within which to type.

[metallicjohn]

@HeyWheresKel ASSWHOLE

[shahirmons]

Someone just started playing this tune at the NJIT campus center. I am happy.

[tsfawkes]

63 def people



[538921]

Great video. Just love Monk. He was the greatest. Thanks for sharing.

Alan.

[steinmetzzz]

@538921 This group and the MJQ were, and still are the best. It just doesn't get any better than this. Consumate musicians, each and every one.

[monicabentz]

Its funny, in their day they were probably called 'hip cats', today we would probably call them 'music geeks'. Either way, they are cool!

[manray1100]

i like how he plays c-jam during his solo

[finger2314]

@xXMrVendettaXx It is meant to be unorganised. That is how Monk plays.

[roro5mm]

kaunis ..............

[fachonistika]

¡¡Buenas tardes monos!! :)

[Nutterbutterz95]

@fachonistika Eres idiota. Salga. Ahora.

[gfine2000]

It takes a deep, meaningful understanding of the art form of jazz and music theory to grasp what Thelo is doing. I appreciate his music like no one else. He's a genius. You also have to be a true lover of jazz music. I was raised on it. My father only played jazz throughout the house all the time. My mother didn't neccessarily like Thelo though. She always said he sounded like a five year old banging on a piano (that's funny). Nonetheless, Thelonious is the best.

[Tice60]

It isn't unorganized. It's called syncopation (rhythmically placing notes away from the beat in unexpected places). It's a form of improvising.

[xXMrVendettaXx]

This is so unorginiezed

[dseabrook2]

@xXMrVendettaXx America is unorganized. Naturally our art is, too. This is amazing! Makes me feel like giving up the keys.

[xXMrVendettaXx]

@dseabrook2  Umm......... Ok

[adrenalineixi]

My man needs to cut them nails



[Nutterbutterz95]

@adrenalineixi Havin' a good manicure back then was the shit!

[EVMC3577]

I hope to be that terrible

[DenCoDom]

I don't know if I like to listen to the music more, or to sit here and just watch him beat that piano up! I mean I've never seen anyone play like him. I was just turned on to Thelonious Monk about a year ago, and he's the best i've seen. And then, just doing some research on him regarding his mental issues....I love it. Thanks for the post! That was well worth 10 Minutes of my time!

[DenCoDom]

I don't know if I like to listen to the music more, or to sit here and just watch him beat that piano up! I mean I've never seen anyone play like him. I was just turned on to Thelonious Monk about a year ago, and he's the best i've seen. And then, just doing some research on him regarding his mental issues....I love it. Thanks for the post! That was well worth 10 Minutes of my time!

[superjules]

Has anyone figured out that this song is a retool of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"?

[Sodahpop96]

@superjules You see it too!

[gargan1977tua]

Thelonious: original in every way, master of the piano, gorgeous composer, if he isn't a genius, nobody is. Just love the sounds he gets and he always, absolutely always swings. May his soul rest in peace.

[theorganloft]

Where the hell does Plebsk get a Homo vibe! Stop sniffing that $h!T!! There are no words to describe this - nice upload and thanks!!!

[Fsensi]

love that feet slide!!!

[musicfan088]

WOW! Words would not portray this. Enough said. 

[wangsta231]

coolest name ever, nice jazz when youre stoned

[heymama1]

This is so good my head just fell off.

[Xmizee]

@DeathMetalDeth You talk in a way that leads me to believe that you think your better than monk, your grammatically incorrect for a start, and obviously have no insight to the world of real music.

[thatoneguy0130]

this guy and the duke are my favorite jazz pianio players

[BernardCBayer]

This cat did more with one note than most do with 100. Right on.

[gigimormone55]

A LOVE MONK SUPREME

[BIGfxhndBOSS]

Greatest jazz pianist ever. Lovely song.

[africa758]

Fantastic!!!

[zhokar]

nothing simple about these simple progressions. wonderful.

[shape642]

tenho onze anos e seria uma honra tocar como thelonious.vai demorar um pouco

[drumforlife720]

AAAYYYY i got this performance on dvd

[monseratto]

@DeathMetalDeth That. Is. Theloinious Sphere Monk. How did you end up in this vid anyway? :)

[TheJoshKline]

i wish i could play like thelonious! i have a cover of blue monk i just uploaded on my page. id love feedback and criticism, thank you !!

[otcncslns]

They were courageous musicians.

I wish I had musicians like them nowadays.

[atombomb31458]

this drummer is tremendous

[virduarte100]

@atombomb31458  Sim. O baterista é ótimo. Ben Riley. E ainda vive. Único sobrevivente do grupo.

[atombomb31458]

@virduarte100 Obrigado pela informação. Eu falo um pouco espanhol - e então eu percebi que você estava falando português:) Você é Brasil?

[virduarte100]

@atombomb31458 Sim, sou brasileiro. Gosto de jazz. Mas infelizmente não falo inglês. Só o meu português e o meu pobre espanhol. Jazz.

[redface626]

I love monk but every time I see him play it looks like he's swatting flies.

[MrOfflain]

Omg this is amazing :o

[markmarktarmann]

@DeathMetalDeth look a little closer and see the very expensive russian wool hat and the tailored pressed suit

the fancy socks, the shiny new shoes. Black, a beard and a bit of expression in his eyes..is that what homeless looks like? look again and then just listen.

[Arthro92]

@markmarktarmann

THANK YOU!!!!

[Samax13]

@DeathMetalDeth the pianist is thelonious monk himself!!! haha you made me smile today! thanks

[thelonius92]

61 are fuckin jazz haters... WTF

[MrOfflain]

Is miles davis playing the sax here?

[JazzClassicMusic]

@MrOfflain No, it's Charlie Rouse.

[benjmwoodard]

@MrOfflain lol. Miles played the trumpet.

[meittam]

chek out miles davis tutu

[blackflame197]

NIcceeee, And They All Look Stoned, Especially The Bassist And Drummer. Good Shit. Haha

[mussman717word]

I love how Thelonious always had a band of misfits, so to speak. Brilliant stuff going on here, so I mean it entirely as a compliment.

[BBMarshallMusic]

LOVED Monk's harmonies in the piano solo, but for me the drummer was the most impressive part of this performance; absolute minimalist kit, nothing to hide behind but technique and rhythm. Brilliant.

[maharba1357]

mm. uh! m. uh!

[maharba1357]

zee vangogh auf yazz

[julianisdope]

its all in the pinky ring

[multiinvisibleman]

Awkwardly standing around the piano during other people's solo...

[kdesmond101]

I enjoyed the sax and drum solo, Idk why everyone thinks Monk is the greatest thing on earth though, I enjoy listening to bebop more than this

[timothyh71]

Charlie Rouse is stealing the show

[vaniasecca]

"Blue Monk", adoro!!!

[halabinono]

thelonious monk is such a badass. He is the only pianist that can be like "brb, gotta dance" and walk away from the piano during a performance!

[anthonyluminella99]

this sucks

[fiftieslover]

@anthonyluminella99 i appreciate you fine music tastes and your constructive criticism, keep it up.

[jigglypugz]

@anthonyluminella99

as does your mother :D

[drumspeed2]

Poor piano...

[CamelOnDirtBike]

ONE FACT: This vid should have way more views.

[Shaylynn3333]

61 People must be blue..

[mussman717word]

I can listen to this one day and laugh, listen to it the next and I cry. How the hell does he do that?

[MrJokuo]

@Plebsk Hmm, yes, this video does seem to be emanating a potently homosexual vibe. Sir, Ma'am, whoever you may be, you deserve a Nobel Prize for your observation on one of the most famous and timeless pieces in Jazz History. Please, grace us with the gift of your genius and list some of your other favorite composers in the genre. Take your time, we all know things like what you've just said aren't tossed around in just any neanderthal conversation.

[jackolantern765]

@MrJokuo Fucking legend! XD

[1fvgaddis]

You're an idiot!

[MrJokuo]

@1fvgaddis I'm 17! I didn't mean to offend you. We're all entitled to having something to say.... so long as we say make it clear that is...

[jchlibec]

to je jazzový van Gogh...............hrubý štětec....těžká ruka, ale velká krása a hloubka uvnitř......jurach

[swilker1]

Does anyone know the name of the bassist?

[DigimaxPhoto]

@swilker1

Thelonious Monk - piano.

Larry Gales - bass.

Charlie Rouse - tenor. sax

Ben Riley - drums

[ESW1982]

muhfuckin drummer is swinging harder than a playground set. i want him on my team.