Thelonious Monk

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include Thelonious Monk. His music is absolutely fantastic. This is a cut from a 2004 Album “April in Paris.” Originally recorded by him in 1957. See if you can keep his tempo and if you don’t understand dissonance in music this is a good starting point. Don’t be satisfied with this one cut. Check out the rest of his works. He set a standard in jazz still followed today. I have no doubt when 2120 comes around they'll still play his music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wv4WVhNGMg April in Paris

When you listen to this tune you think he plays off key at times. Not sure that wasn't a planned part of his expression. Stories abound about him but he was a musical genius. If you're a Jazz fan you have to have T. Monk in your collection along with John Coltrane. I saw Coltrane at Shelly's Manne Hole in Hollywood, CA in 1963. I like the mention the both of them together because of their respective enormous talents. Back to the song, there is tad of dissonance in the song. As for the time signature, you can never be sure. He felt music so thoroughly it meant different things to him.

 A quote from a YouTube comment. "He swings even when playing slowly.