Blue Monk
Added 2021-04-03 15:02:00 +0000 UTCThelonious Monk was one of the most original, influential, and peculiar jazz musicians of his time. He was a one of a kind improviser and composer whose many songs became important jazz standards.
His composition Blue Monk is by far the tune he recorded the most. This simple blues form is filled with his quirky lines and seemingly oddly placed accents - until you realize it's just pure genius!
I crafted this cover with 5 choruses. The first two are the theme and I played two variations of it. The following two choruses are Monk's solo that I transcribed and adapted for guitar from the version of this tune recorded on his solo album Thelonious Alone in San Francisco (1954). The phrases he uses in these two choruses of the solo are very representative of his style. The last iteration of the chorus returns to the theme.
In the backing track next to the bass I purposely added a drum machine and some vst effects to create a bit of an "out of this world" atmosphere that reflects the feeling I get when I hear Monk's music.
