Thelonious Monk - Just A Gigolo

[bogtheforest]

His music let's us understand his life. Monk's language is so crazy that you just have to listen more. Or it's so clear. I don't know. But I feel like when something like this resonates with you, it's better than anything else in that moment.

[ImaniHekima]

The first Monk to ever play a song about being a gigolo. I love it.

[caiolexrock007]

Monk is a sound track of life.

[louiecostello]

thelonius monk is perfect background music. the only problem is you find yourself far more interested in the background than the foreground. its not thinking music, or dancing music, its feeling music. its pure brilliance. i havent heard all that much jazz, but he ma fave so far

[SuperPais]

dissonance ? What ? is just like that. You people need to listen more music, not only "clean" pop or pseudo r&b

[pathorne2]

wow this is very beautiful!

[SuperBlackMoth]

anyone know why "Tokyo" is written in katakana on this album cover?

[vdeferens]

@SuperBlackMoth I'm imagining that it's because the album is entitled "Monk In Tokyo". Maybe you could use your eyes too, and come up with a probable answer instead of asking stupid questions. :)

[SuperBlackMoth]

@vdeferens My question was this: since Katakana is used for words borrowed from foreign languages; for instance the word "hamburger" ハンバーガー is correctly written as opposed to はんっばっが or something like that in hiragana, and there is no Kanji for it, why is the Japanese word "Tokyo" spelled out in Katakana? You trolling cunt, you should have more dignity and ought to have payed heed to the contextually implied warning "anyone know" found within my original inquiry, you angst-filled cocksucker.

[vdeferens]

@SuperBlackMoth I have no dignity. :(

[genreslur]

@vdeferens the IHND comment is funny, given SBM's silence. Gahhhh I love monk.

[vdeferens]

@SuperBlackMoth No, a katana is a sword, used by samurai.

[DrFeelRotten]

A friend of mine was a Monk disciple and knew him well and a really good piano player, but he hated show business so he dropped out and became a drunken parking lot attendant ..It didn't matter how drunk he got he could play this song blindfolded with his hands tied I think.. I quit drinking and pretty sure he did..Not sure if he's still alive.. We haven't spoken for years now

[Boomkin1337]

Love the song, love Monk. That's all there is to say!

[skarepunk1982]

Ebony fingers touching ivory keys.

[Jizmol]

i had never head of him before just now props

[hiholzer2]

Thelonius Monk= genius + visionary + gift from god+ gone too soon.

[TroyConvers5000]

1 person is just a cheap gigolo.

[zerblis]

Quit the bickering. This is pure Monk. Pure genious!

[TexasMist]

ridiculous arguments citing Monk's dissonance as anything but genius shading and emotion. Tatum's fluidity is sweet but life is harsh as this bittersweet sound poem expresses. This is sitting in the gutter at 3am music, not swells dancing in the Hampton's.

[davishev]

Could not agree more. The dissonant tone colors and harmonies are incredibly deliberate and speak volumes about human emotion that just can't be expressed the same way in words. It's why painters paint, dancers dance and musicians make music.

[Xanias00]

@davishev 'just can't be expressed the same way in words'

Maybe not by you, but 4000 years of poetry would disagree with that.

[davishev]

@Xanias00 Yes, you're absolutely right. Poets are the ones who use written language like musicians use musical notes.

[ImaniHekima]

@TexasMist I love this comment, especially the last sentence. :-D

[FringePhantomWpg]

@TexasMist You got it, Joe! You nailed it perfectly!

[larrygsauce]

Anybody who calls Monk a "wannabe" can be dismissed.

[fingerscarr]

@larrygsauce ... dismiss away , lol ! ! still stumbling dissonance nevertheless !

[larrygsauce]

@fingerscarr ....I'm glad you threw that "lol" in there, that way we know this isn't some sort of serious argument and I'm not attacking you personally. Just two people, respectfully disagreeing. BUT, if you ask any of the "jazz greats" about Monk they'll tell ya Monk was a "BE" not a "wannabe".

[fingerscarr]

@larrygsauce well on looking back i didn't actually say monk was a ' wannabe ' only that his version of this sounded so . of course he's no wannabe . i first listened to his music many yrs ago when it was all the rage ! didn't like it then and still don't ! have you listened to the tatum version , so much more fluent and easy on the ear , it flows with swing whereas old thelonious jerks along with too many harsh chords ! ! ! still lol ! who would i rather play like ? guess !

[larrygsauce]

@fingerscarr ...Yeah, I would also rather play like Art Tatum. hehehehe

[fingerscarr]

stumbling dissonance dressed up as wannabe originality .

listen to art tatum's fluid rhythmic rendition and wonder ! !

[keyzcity]

@fingerscarr I'm pretty sure his originality isn't wannabe. Let us know when you compose a standard that eclipses Round Midnight. Or Art Tatum for that matter...

[fingerscarr]

@keyzcity did you listen to the twqtum version ? btw am not a composer ! ! ! erhem ! sarcasm aside !

[dabobohio2]

thanks this tune has been my life story for long time

[Onotes]

Pure Monk. Thanks for posting.

[fingerscarr]

@Onotes indeed pure monk , and you don't have to like it ! !