Monk

For an academic dissection look elsewhere but stop here for sheer enthusiasm and insight into Monk from an obvious admirer. I coulnd't put the book down and learned much from the numerous insights into the music business and cultural/social environment in which Monk lived. I recommend the book to anyone who wants to better understand appreciate Monk's music.

Obviously the reviewer for Kirkus Reviews knows nothing about jazz nor about Monk. There is very liitle biographical detail about Monk that is available because his family (particularly his wife Nellie) will not speak publicly about Thelonius. That said, de Wilde's book is a brilliant evocation of Monk's genius as both a player and a composer. As opposed to Straight No Chaser, Monk attempts to capture the esssence of the man by a mixture of musicological study, an analysis of the recording scene and industry at the time, and a vivid, imaginative journey through a master musician's mindset. Any lover of jazz will appreciate this effort!