Thelonious Monk
Piano Solo on
Blues Five Spot

About

Thelonious Monk's piano solo is the second of four improvisations on this recording, following Griffin's eight-chorus tenor saxophone statement. Taking four choruses of the 12-bar blues in B-flat at 134 BPM, Monk brings his characteristically angular, unpredictable approach to the blues form. His solo is a study in economy and surprise, the rhythmic displacements, whole-tone clusters, and strategic silences creating a blues expression that is wholly distinct from any other pianist's conception.

Thelonious Monk was 40 to 41 years old at the time.