Thelonious Monk

The Blindfold Test



"It is the aim of the Blindfold Test to elicit the honest subjective reaction of the listener. Secondarily the musician blindfolded usually attempts to identify the artists on each record, though it is always made clear before the interview that the evaluations are far more important than the guesswork."



Leonard Feather.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Not until the Blindfold Test had been appearing for almost 20 years did Thelonious Monk participate as a subject. The reason was clear: Monk is not the most voluble of personalities, and it seemed improbable that an interview could be obtained.

One day in 1966 Monk broke his long silence. Accompanied by his wife Nellie, he sat, stood or paced his way through eight records. When moments of silence engulfed him, Nellie succeeded in prodding him.

After the first minute of the first record, it became obvious that the only way to complete an interview and retain Monk's interest would be by concentrating mainly on other artists' versions of his own compositions. Accordingly, Records 2 - 6 were all Monk tunes. At this point, he seemed interested enough to listen to a couple of non-Monk works. He was given no information about any of the records played.

Monk's reaction to Record No. 7 may have a more than coincidental relationship to the opinions expressed openly by Oscar Peterson concerning Monk's own value as a pianist.







1. Andrew Hill. Flight 19 from 'Point of Departure' on Blue Note.

(After two minutes, Monk rises from his seat, starts wandering around the room and looking out of the window. When it becomes clear he is not listening, the record is taken off.)

TM: The view here is great, and you have a crazy stereo system.

LF: Is that all you have to say about that record?

TM: About any record.

LF: I'll find a few things you'll want to say something about.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



2. Art Pepper. Rhythm-a-ning from 'Gettin' Together' on Contemporary.

(With Conte Candoli, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb.)

TM: He added another note to the song. A note that's not supposed to be there. (Sings.) See what I mean?

LF: Did I hear you say the tempo was wrong?

TM: No, all tempos is right.

LF: How about the solos? Which of them did you like?

TM: It sounded like some slow solos speeded up, to me.

LF: How about the rhythm section?

TM: Well, I mean, the piece swings by itself. To keep up with the song, you have to swing.

LF: How many stars would you rate it?

TM: (Indicating Mrs Monk.) Ask her.

LF: It's your opinion I'm asking.

TM: You asked me for my opinion, I gave you my opinion.

LF: Okay, let's forget ratings.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



3. Dizzy Gillespie. Medley: I Can't Get Started / Round Midnight from 'Something Old - Something New.'

(With James Moody on alto.)

TM: Dizzy, He had a crazy sound, but he got into that upper register, and the upper register took the tone away from him. That was the Freddy Webster sound too, you know, that sound of Dizzy's.

(Later) That's my song! Well, if that's not Diz, it's someone who plays just like him. Miles did at one time too.

LF: You like the way they put the two tunes together?

TM: I didn't notice that. Play it again. (Later) Yes, that's the Freddy Webster sound. Maybe you don't remember Freddy Webster; you weren't on the scene at the time.

LF: I remember Freddy Webster. And the records he made with Sarah.

TM: Remember I Could Make You Love Me? The introduction? Play that for me.

LF:I don't think I can find it. You think Freddy influenced Diz?

TM: Every sound influenced Diz. He had that kind of mind, you know? And he influenced everything too.

LF: You liked the alto player on here too?

TM: Everybody sounded good on there; I mean, the harmony and everything was crazy . . . play it again!







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



4. Bob Florence. Straight, No Chaser from 'Here and Now' on Liberty.

(John Audino, lead trumpet; Herbie Harper, trombone & Bob Florence, arranger.)

LF: You liked the arrangement?

TM: Did you make the arrangement? It was crazy.

LF: No.

TM: It was a bunch of musicians who were together, playing an arrangement. It sounded so good, it made me like the song better? Solos . . . the trombone player sounded good . . . that was a good lead trumpet player too . . . I've never heard that before. I don't know how to rate it, but I'd say it was top-notch.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



5. Phineas Newborn. Well, You Needn't from the 'Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn' on Contemporary.

TM: He hit the inside wrong - didn't have the right changes. It's supposed to be major ninths, and he's playing ninths (walks to the piano, demonstrates). It starts with a D-flat Major 9 . . . See what I mean? What throws me off, too, is the cat sounds like Bud Powell. Makes it hard for me to say anything about it. It's not Bud; it's somebody sounding like him.

LF: Outside of that, did you like the general feeling?

TM: I enjoy all piano players. All pianists have got five stars for me . . . but I was thinking about the wrong changes, so I didn't pay too much attention to the rest of it. Maybe you better play it again.

(Later) It's crazy to sound like Bud Powell, but seems like the piano player should be able to think of something else too. Why get stuck with that Bud Powell sound?







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



6. Bud Powell. Ruby, My Dear from 'Giants of Jazz' on Columbia.

TM: That's Bud Powell! . . . All I can say is, he has a remarkable memory. I don't know what to say about him - he is a remarkable person, musically.

LF: You think Bud is in his best form there?

TM: (Laughs) No comment about him, or the piano . . . He's just tired, stopped playing, doesn't want to play no more. I don't know what's going through his mind. But you know how he's influenced all of the piano players.

LF: Of course. I was just questioning whether this is his best work.

Mrs.Monk: (To Monk) You don't think so.

TM: Of course not.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



7. Oscar Peterson. Easy Listenin' Blues from 'With Respect to Nat'

(With Herb Ellis and Ray Brown.)

TM: Which is the way to the toilet? (Waits to end of record, leaves room, returns . . laughs.) Well, you see where I went. (To Mrs.Monk) Could you detect the piano player?

LF: How about the guitar player?

TM: Charlie Christian spoiled me for everyone else.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



8. Denny Zeitlin. Carole's Garden from 'Carnival' on Columbia.

(With Jerry Granelli, drums)

LF: You liked that one?

TM: I like all music.

LF: Except the kind that makes you go to the toilet.

TM: No, but you need that kind too . . It reminded me of Bobby Timmons, and that's got to be good. Rhythm section has the right groove too. Drummer made me think of Art Blakey. Hey, play that again.

(Later) Yeah! He sounds like a piano player! (Hums theme) You can keep changing keys all the time doing that. Sounds like something that was studied and figured out. And he can play it; you know what's happening with this one. Yeah, he was on a Bobby Timmons kick. He knows what's happening.









. . . thanks to Leonard Feather and Down Beat magazine.