"How I Wish" from Alexis Cole's 2021 album Sky Blossom: Songs From My Tour of Duty features a one-chorus piano solo by Scott Arcangel over a 32-bar AABA form in B-flat. The tune is based on Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now," with lyrics added to create a vocal vehicle from Monk's angular, harmonically rich ballad. Performed at a gentle swing tempo of 75 beats per minute, the track showcases Arcangel's ability to navigate Monk's distinctive harmonic language with sensitivity and invention. Monk composed "Ask Me Now" in 1951, and its combination of unexpected harmonic turns, wide intervallic leaps, and deeply personal expression make it one of his most intimate compositions. Arcangel's piano solo respects the Monk tradition while bringing his own voice to the material, maintaining the composition's characteristic angularity without resorting to mere imitation. The addition of lyrics transforms the piece from an instrumental jazz standard into a song, a practice with a long history in jazz, and Cole's vocal interpretation brings new emotional dimensions to Monk's melody. The inclusion of a Monk-based composition on this album underscores Cole's commitment to the jazz tradition even as her repertoire ranges across styles. The spare, intimate setting suits the introspective nature of both the composition and the album's personal themes.
