Photo: T.S. Monk | Credit: Michael Weintrob
The next show will air on Sunday, February 18 2018 from 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM Monday Eastern Standard Time on WBAI, 99.5 FM in the NYC metro area or streaming online at wbai.org. This broadcast presents an interview with drummer, composer, bandleader and son of Thelonius Sphere Monk, T.S. Monk. We will discuss some parts of T.S. Monk’s career and the direction he has taken to honor the memory of his father.
After earning a reputation in school as a rabble-rouser, and graduating, the young Monk joined his father’s trio and toured with his dad until the elder Monk’s retirement in 1975. T. S. then launched into the music that had captivated him and his generation, R&B. He first toured with a group called Natural Essence and afterward, with his sister Barbara, formed his own band with which he had hits on two recordings, House Of Music and More Of The Good Life, where he played drums, arranged, and sang.
T. S. received the New York Jazz Awards First Annual “Recording of the Year” and ‘Downbeat’s’ prestigious 63rd Reader’s Poll Award for Monk On Monk, the “80th Anniversary Birthday Tribute to Thelonious Sphere Monk” featuring twenty guest artists including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Arturo Sandoval, Dianne Reeves, Nnenna Freelon, Howard Johnson, among others perform on the recording. Critics and the public lauded T. S. Monk as his father’s true musical heir, as bandleader, and performer. Rave reviews in the Hollywood Reporter, Variety, the L.A. Times, and others, echoed the public sentiment of the sold out concert hall shows across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
Shortly after these accomplishments, his father passed away leaving a rich and legendary legacy and, tragically, his sister died of cancer. To honor his father’s legacy and support the efforts of education, Thelonious turned his attention toward forming the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. As Chairman, Thelonious has been at the forefront of helping to create a number of programs that range supporting after-school athletic programs. The Institute’s activities reach from Boston to Los Angeles sponsoring music education for students in the form of full scholarships to funding and supplies and from New York to Orlando.
In 1992, Thelonious formed his jazz sextet and received raves from the moment they hit the stage and the studio. One of the most unique groups on the circuit, the T. S. Monk Sextet’s cohesive and driving style has been heard at the JVC Jazz at the Bowl festival, Sun Valley Center, Lied Center for the Performing Arts, and many of the legendary jazz clubs. For his special 80th Anniversary Birthday Tribute to his father, the sextet formed the core of the eleven musician, pulsating and dynamic show. With Grammy Award winning producer (for Joe Henderson’s Lush Life, among others) Don Sickler on trumpet, the duo has carved an innovative and dynamic approach to crafting the T. S. Monk Sextet sound; this band soars and sizzles.
For two consecutive seasons, December 1996 and January 1998, on ABC, jazz returned to network television after a twenty-five year absence. Sponsored by Nissan and The Thelonious Monk Institute, under the guidance of Thelonious, Jr. and Tom Carter, an historic assemblage of artists gathered for ‘A Celebration Of America’s Music’ hosted by Bill Cosby and featuring Natalie Cole, Jon Secada, Tony Bennett, K.D. Lang, as well as Thelonious performing his father’s signature tune, Round Midnight, with Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Nnenna Freelon, Al Jarreau, Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin have all performed for this Annual special.
(Bio adapted from Monk’s website.)
This program is hosted, engineered, produced, and edited by Joyce Jones. Listen for our On the Bandstand segment with NYC metro area appearances of Suga’ guests at the end of the first hour with Associate Producer Hank Williams.
T.S. Monk will be at the Bickford Theater in Morristown, NJ on Thursday, February 22nd from 7:30 – 8:30pm. He’ll be with his sextet and feature vocalist April May Webb.
Web Extras:
Watch The TS Monk Sextet play a beautiful version of “‘Round Midnight” with vocalist Nnenna Freelon in this live 2017 clip.
Watch the TS Monk Sextet in action in this live clip from 2011.
Watch Monk perform (and sing!) the pop hit “Bon Bon Vie” in this throwback music video from 1980!
Hank Williams is assistant producer for Suga’ in My Bowl and produces the weekly “On the Bandstand” segment as well as running the show’s website and blog, where he has reviewed several jazz festivals. His writing has also appeared in Left Turn magazine and American Music Review. He teaches at Lehman College in the City University of New York system.
Suga' in My Bowl 
Discussion
Comments are closed.