A 2021 performance of Thelonious Monk's Well, You Needn't featuring British tenor saxophonist Emma Rawicz with electric guitarist Steve Rodda, released under the P.R.S. banner. The arrangement reimagines Monk's angular classic with a funk feel at 183-191 BPM in F, transforming the tune's rhythmic character while preserving its harmonic identity. Rawicz takes a two-chorus tenor saxophone solo over the 32-bar AABA form, followed by Rodda's two-chorus electric guitar solo at a slightly pushed tempo. The funk reharmonization and groove give the performance a contemporary edge that distinguishes it from traditional straight-ahead treatments of the Monk songbook. The pairing of tenor saxophone with electric guitar rather than piano creates an unusual timbral combination for this material. Rawicz's solo navigates the funk context while maintaining the melodic angularity that Monk's compositions invite. This recording represents an approach to the jazz tradition that reframes classic material through contemporary rhythmic and textural lenses, reflecting the cross-genre sensibilities that younger musicians increasingly bring to standard repertoire.
