Favorite Monk Tune

[Stormcrow]

*another random question brought to you by the one, the only, Theophilus*

Ok, then...

What is your favorite original Thelonious Monk tune? I mean the song itself as he wrote it, a song that anybody could play (not nessecarily what Monk did with it.)

Mine is "'Round Midnight." Shockingly original of me, eh?

[Fred K]

In Walked Bud

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

This is really a top ten question, not a top one question!

Well You Needn't

[Tanager]

Theo, move this to the top ten forum - forcing anyone to choose just one Monk tune is injustice bordering on inhumanity and cruelty.

Having said that: Bemsha Swing

[Stormcrow]

hehe... ok, I moved it. Top ten then.

[Underhound]

Pannonica
Crepuscule with Nellie
Little Rootie Tootie
Epistrophy

[strich]

Misterioso
!!!!!!!!!

[LeMo]

Another vote for "Misterioso".
"Epistrophy" is also one of my favorite with "Ask Me Now", "Evidence", "Staight, No Chaser" and "In Walk Bud".

[HLJ]

"Ruby My Dear".Peace and all that

Damn, HL beat me to it!

Definitely, Ruby My Dear! Possibly my all time favorite JAZZ tune altogether. Though it would be a tight battle with Afro Blue.

[Chris D]

I find myself humming Monk melodies all the time.
The two I find recurring the most are "Rhythm-A-Ning" and "Well, You Needn't." I'll go with "Rhythm-A-Ning," since no one's claimed that yet.

[jamieb]

Epistrophy
Round Midnight
In Walked Bud

[Stormcrow]

Originally posted by Chris D
I find myself humming Monk melodies all the time.
The two I find recurring the most are "Rhythm-A-Ning" and "Well, You Needn't." I'll go with "Rhythm-A-Ning," since no one's claimed that yet.

"Well, You Needn't" has to be one of the catchiest tunes ever.

[Jazzmoose]

Without a doubt, Misterioso. At first I thought of it as just another quirky Monk tune, but one day something clicked and all of a sudden, it was one of the most beautiful songs I had ever heard. After that, Monk no longer sounded the least bit odd. What an amazing composer!

[vibes]

I got into Monk's compositions long before I got into his own playing. My favorite has to be "'Round Midnight," with "Off Minor" probably coming in second. I love the version of "Off Minor" on "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane."

[Captain Hate]

Friday the 13th, baby!!!!

[Leon Harris]

Tune That Swings by Itself: "In Walked Bud"
Overall Favorite "Four In One" (John Zorn Version)

[gnhrtg]

My take on this:

Reflections (Braxton / Waldron - in Six Monk's Compositions)
Round Midnight (Monk Solo Studio)
Well You Needn't (only I can make this sound dull so most versions sound at least decent to me)
Ask Me Now (Thomas Chapin)
Evidence - Justice (Lovano/Frisell/Motian)
Bemsha Swing (although most, if not all, of the melodies of Monk can be twisted in many ways, I find this to be the most fruitful of them all)

Let me also announce, as I will in my first post under each section, that I am back after around 50 days of a cheap recluse imitation - not that I posted frequently or with loads of wit but just thought I'd reassure my presence.

[mtaylorjazz]

hmm...lessee

in no particular order:

let's call this
friday the 13th
thelonius
in walked bud (especially the verison on underground with Jon Hendricks)
i mean you

and just about all the others as well! i tumbled to Monk, Julius Watkins and Sonny Rollins all at the same time (those Riverside dates) and got hooked!

mt

--------------------
Review of Circle Squared here...
Circle Squared @ CDBaby.com

[hornplayer]

in no particular order...
Ask Me Now
Ruby My Dear
Bright Mississippi

[D.D.]

Locomotive

In Walked Bud

[Capt. W./TX.]

As a confirmed 'Monkophile' (I've done several concerts where we played all-or mostly-Monk: I've recorded four of his pieces on my own CDs), I can say that I love all of them.

How about these?

Monk's Mood
Trinkle, Tinkle
Think Of One
Light Blue
Off Minor
Hornin' In
Brilliant Corners
Reflections
I Mean You
Pannonica

[EKE BBB]

In no special order:

Round midnight
Ask me now
Bemsha swing
Epistrophy
In walked Bud
Misterioso
Rhythm-a-ning
Well you needn´t
Off minor
Straight no chaser

[GA Russell]

Light Blue!

[Carlos]

Buddhist Monks Chant The Thong Song is great...

[stonemonkts]

I adore Monk and all his compositions, so I don't have a single favorite. It depends on my mood. One that hasn't been mentioned yet but that always sends me is Skippy. His recording of it for Blue Note is sensational, and as avant garde to my ears as anything else recorded for many years to come. Some people attribute the first "out" stuff to Lennie Tristano, but to me Monk was always the first in that regard. Skippy is a good example of it.

I'm also very fond of Reflections, and Ask Me Now.

If I had to go to that proverbial desert island it would be VERY hard for me if I had to choose a single jazz artist, but I truly believe as much as I love Miles I just couldn't leave Monk behind, and would grab him first.

We share a birthday too, but that's of no consequence (except that when I lived near WKCR they played him all day which made my birthday a bit more special than would have been otherwise).

Anthony Braxton's cover of Skippy is great too.

[giuliano]

All of them!

Anyway:

Misterioso
Ruby my dear
Reflections

these three for the melodies

Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues Are

this one for the title

[Gary Sisco]

Too many!

But if I had to pick one, it'd be a toss-up between "Misterioso," "Blue Monk," and "Bemsha Swing."

[satchduke]

MISTERIOSO