The Importance of Community

In the above quotation, Thelonious Monk is alluding to the diversity within the tight knit San Juan Hill New York community he was raised in. “Because every block is a different town…next block and you in another country” (Kelley, 19). San Juan Hill contained a microcosm of diverse cultures, languages, and religions, and because of this, Monk is often referred to as a “son of diversity." This diversity is sustained in both Monk’s personal identity (hats, berets, flamboyant ties), and in his avant-garde, unique and offbeat musical style. Musically, Monk's Latin tinge style derived from a diverse musical training background that included formal training from a Jewish Austrian teacher (Kelley, 29).  The diversity that existed within the San Juan Hill community is reflected in Monk’s musical dissonance, as he believed that disharmony was just as important as harmony itself.  Notion of heterodoxy and angular complexity expressed through Monk’s pieces reflect the diverse and unorthodox lifestyle of San Juan Hill. The interracial environment, as well as the fighting racism that existed in this area of New York was reflected in the ever present "dissonance and ambiguous chord structure" synonymous with Monk's music (Gioia, 202).

Territorial notions were also present in San Juan Hill, as various ethnic groups “owned” certain blocks of town. For example, a tight-knit black community by the name of “Black Bohemia (Kelley, 19), where doors were always open, and every house could be heard with some kind of banjo, piano, guitar or mandolin instrument (Kelley, 20). This tight-knit Bohemian community acted as an extended family willing to sacrifice everything for Monk to pursue his creative career and provided him with a support system that allowed him to flourish. For example, Monk learned various religious hymns at the local church, and also interacted with other young boy bands at a local boy’s club (Kelley, 29). He was a victim of racism from the New York cops, lost his cabaret card, but "refused to respond by becoming more race conscious," (Stewart), instead choosing to use his music to create a community of tolerant individuals and a musical style characterized by dissonant chord structures, complex rhythms, and off-balance tempos. Monk became viewed as the "patron saint for those who saw jazz as an underground movement resisting assimilation" (Gioia, 247) and it reflected the black Americans will to assert themselves as 'co-equals' of their peers during a period in history when black Americans were at a critical juncture in history (just prior to Civil Rights movement).

Monk’s image evolved into one of a “family man” as he remained married and became a father. Consequently, Monk’s musical aspirations revolved around sustaining a living for his family, which differed from Jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker (emotionally needy) or Miles Davis (abusive relationships). Likewise, Monk’s family and community sustained him, and supported him through his bipolar and physiological disorders.

Along with this diversity brought competition as “you had to fight each other” (Kelley, 19), and if you could survive this competition, (as Monk did), you were better because of it. This survival of the fittest model Monk adopted, helps to explain his view towards racial politics, as he looked further under the surface than just the issue of “black vs. white.” Instead, he viewed everyone as being in constant competition even within the white community itself. For example, he viewed the hatred between the Irish and Italian Americans just as he viewed the conflict between blacks and whites.  Monk chose to view the black and white separation as merely an obstacle.  He states, “there’s no reason I should go through that black power shit now” (Kelley, 19).  He saw physical racial resistance as unproductive and instead makes an effort to transcend racial politics through expressing resistance in his dissonant composition creations. However, despite Monk’s efforts, the racism towards blacks was sometimes too tough of a pill for even him to swallow. Monk’s buildup of agitation and anguish regarding racism were, in fact, released, as was the case in the incident in Delaware in 1958. Monk was not charged with any particular crime, no search warrant was presented, yet he was arrested, detained, and sent for questioning (although marijuana and narcotics were later found in car trunk). Monk resisted, refused to cooperate, and would not answer questioning, and was later beaten and then charged with assault and battery of an officer (Kelley, 254). Despite Monk’s attempts to transcend racial segregation, there were a few instances such as this one where a combination of his bipolar personality, as well as a buildup of frustration led to an outburst. But, Thelonious Monk did succeed in adopting, and being adopted "by a young generation of Blacks and Whites who were rebelling against the strictures of American society," (Stewart).