performer: Ethan Hein
composer: Thelonious Monk
genre: hip-hop
completed: 05 11 07
The Onliest Monk's tribute to his devoted wife is maybe
the most heartbreaking of his many heartbreaking tunes.
the version from Monk's Music
My version was inspired in part by hearing the Kronos
Quartet arrangement - all due respect to those guys, but
I thought I could do it a little more hip.
Kronos version
I'm no keyboardist; what you're hearing is MIDI data
I adapted from the excellent transcription in the Hal
Leonard Thelonious Monk Fake Book.
Samples, aside from a piano run by the maestro himself:
Herbie Hancock - Chameleon
The Bar-Kays - Let's Have Some Fun
Missy Elliott - Work It