You’re such a nice man.

I, too, am sorry I continue to manifest miserable jobs. No, I’m not still on the waiting list at the BPL. I assume you’re talking about THE SECRET. I read all the time about how to do this differently, but I can’t seem to get it. I’ve read that people with histories like mine have an extremely difficult time making the transition to a belief in a loving world. We can’t seem to adjust to the idea that the universe wants to give us something good. I agonize over this every day, trying to understand how it can be different, what I need to do differently.

What continues to be wonderful for me, though, is jazz. When I get up in the morning and put on an iTunes playlist, I feel happier, safer, more thrilled than I feel all day. I love the musicians and I feel grateful for their work, inspired by it, and life is amazing, at least for those first hours.

I hope to come back to this site, to have time to listen to the interviews, and to write about them again. It would be so nice to hear what you think. I think I should do this, because for the first time in decades, I stopped writing when I took this job. I’ve really missed some of the people on this site.

It was so sweet to hear from you.

Peace and All the Best,

Jazzman

I’m not here very often, but I happened to look at this thread tonight and saw your comment. I felt so happy to hear your voice again. I once saw a comment of yours on the Huffington Post and I wrote to tell you I was “katermc”, but the HP is so huge that I’m sure it was lost. I hope you’re well. I’ve thought of you.

Kate

I heard Robin Kelley discussing his book on the radio (I’ve been listening to the radio since my car CD player died) which also included interesting commentary from Matthew Shipp another modern pianist whom I enjoy (some say he is the heir to Monk) and shortly thereafter I purchased Thelonius Monk TLATOAAO for $8 after a Border’s 40% off coupon and $10 in “Border’s Bucks.”

I have been too busy to give Robin Kelley’s work proper attention but this interview will spur me to correct that. I hope to be a contributor here once again as time allows.

Peace, Hi & Happy New Year to Chris, Potter, Nother, KateMcShane, & Sidewalker (my old ROS friends on this page.)

Peace to ALL,

Jazzman

Listening to this interview recalled the enthusiastic one with Alain Pacowski from a couple of years back on Open Source “Le Hot Jazz”, which is also a favorite.

Chris, do we have to wait so long again? How about a sister series to ‘Whose Words There Are’ on Jazz? ‘Whose Melodies These Are’ seems like the perfect way to enter a new decade.

When I think of my favorite Jazz – and especially when I think of Monk – it’s through the prism of race relations. Emasculating bigotry and the consequential “double consciousness,” permeated both the playing of, and listening to, this American art.

For Monk, there was even a third consciousness, that of a man possessed. “he was a great put-on artist, too, and that’s the way he kept people off him, by acting crazy like he did.” – Miles

“Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.”

Monk takes Emerson’s words to heart. So much so that he refuses to conform to even his African American contemporaries. One can imagine Monk quoting Shakespeare:

“I am too high-born to be propertied,

To be a secondary at control

Or useful serving-man and instrument”

Miles gushes over Monk in his autobiography, but he also recounts the legendary controversy over his asking Monk to lay out and not play behind him on the album they did together. Because “Monk never did know how to play behind a horn player.”

What I read into the controversy is that Monk did not want to be secondary to Miles…nor should he be…nor will he be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBP9tYncw8E

Great interview, and I love the insight about Monk influencing the sounds of the album “Money Jungle.”

This was truly an amazing interview and maybe your best Chris and there can’t be a better one about Monk’s music. This adds to the experience of the music.

First, you gave this the time it needed. And then you gave Robin Kelley the room to pour out- especially on each song as they were playing softly in the background. That as you were gently leading with informed comments both ( and best) musically but also biographically. The focus was on the music and the essence of Monk’s innovation and creativity. I prepared myself by listening to CD’s that I have. For me it’s Monks simplicity I love- his left hand- his cords- the spirit coming through, the groping. Especially the groping- and in Crepuscule for Nellie and the part of the interview where you played that and were talking about it- that was a high spot for me. I love that piece. I know piano basics. I had lessons as a kid. I love the piano. I have one- keep it in tune. I don’t know a lot of technical language- yet I could understand enough of the analysis you both were talking about.

This interview too needs another listen there is so much jam packed into it!

This was a gift- thank you and also Robin Kelley for the love you seem to have put into your book.