Epistrophy is a jazz standard co-composed by Thelonious Monk and Kenny Clarke in 1941, originally titled Fly Right. The name derives from the rhetorical device epistrophe, meaning repetition at the end of successive clauses, reflecting the tune's cyclical melodic structure. Clarke conceived the main melodic theme on a ukulele at the Douglas Hotel in New York, with input from guitarist Charlie Christian, while Monk contributed the distinctive chordal framework. The composition follows a thirty-two-bar form and is built on a striking harmonic pattern of alternating chords a semitone apart, creating angular tension and propulsive forward motion characteristic of early bebop. The piece emerged from after-hours jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, where Clarke served as house drummer and Monk as house pianist, and it became a regular set-closing number at the venue during the pivotal period when bebop was crystallizing as a distinct idiom. It was first recorded as Fly Right by Cootie Williams and His Orchestra on April 1, 1942, in a swing big band arrangement. Clarke recorded it under the title Epistrophy with his 52nd Street Boys in September 1946, and Monk first recorded it with Milt Jackson in 1948 for his Blue Note sessions. Often described as one of the first classic modern jazz compositions, Epistrophy became a cornerstone of Monk's performing repertoire and appears on nearly all of his live albums. Clarke later rearranged the tune under the titles Iambic Pentameter and Volcano.
