Performing Arts - Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser

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Description

Expanding on footage of Monks 1967 tour shot by Christian Blackwood, Charlotte Zwering (Gimme Shelter) has created the definitive filmic portrait of the master bop pianist-composer. This captivating DVD digs deeper into the life of the famously eccentric pianist-composer than the Ken Burnss tepid coffeetable documentary Jazz ever thought to. A few shades different than the Burns films monosyllabic, near-silent weirdo, Straight, No Chaser fleshes out Monks character considerably - from his harmonic theories to his use of quarter - tones (produced by hitting two adjacent piano keys simultaneously and occasionally even striking the boards with his entire forearm or his foot) to his mysterious relationship with his patron, baroness Nica de Koenigswarter. Pannonica, a lyrical paean to her, is included on the soundtrack. Monks music, naturally, is at the center of this canny portrait, giving fans cause to rejoice since most of the movies performances had been previously unavailable in any form. The more interesting excavations include footage of his near-forgotten 1967 octet and rare recordings of club performances and rehearsal takes of Monk standards like Well, You Neednt, Trinkle Tinkle, Evidence, and the title song.

Documentaries from category Performing Arts