Thelonious Monk
Make a statement with one of these bold Thelonious Monk tshirts. In addition to shirts, we have plenty of gift ideas for any jazz aficionado. Born Thelonious Sphere Monk, the late musician was known for being a legendary figure in American jazz music. Monk was originally born in North Carolina, and he later moved with his family to New York City. Growing up, he played the piano and church organ, and he eventually began performing jazz in the early 1940s. Monk is known for pushing the envelope when it comes to the genre of jazz, and also helping to further bebop at the time. Thelonious Monk was inspired by other musicians like Duke Ellington and James P. Johnson.
Known for his strong improvisational abilities, Monk's work includes jazz standards such as "Round Midnight", "Straight, No Chaser" and "Well, You Needn't". For one of his first recording sessions, Monk worked with the Coleman Hawkins Quartet., and later with Blue Note. In the late forties and early fifties, he worked with Prestige Records and helped to produce albums like Bags' Groove and Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants. Later, he also recorded Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, The Unique Thelonious Monk, and Monk's Music with Riverside. By the sixties, Monk began to work with Columbia Records, where he created albums such as Monk's Dream, Criss Cross and Underground. On February 17, 1982, Monk died at the age of 64 years old from a stroke.