Thelonious Monk - Well You Needn't (Guitar Cover)

[lucky one]

Hi all,

It has been a few month since my last post, but I'm still working on a jazz cover set on guitar, as a background task
I found a couple of hours last week to record a guitar version of "Well You Needn't" from Thelonious Monk and build a new video:

A while ago, I have seen an awesome video of Mike Harrison playing Thelenious Monk on piano, I was so amazed I had to learn the track!
Of course the result is no way near the genious of Mike Harrison, but I have a lot of fun to play anyway...

It really swings, I love that! Tell me what you think

Thanks,

Luc

[Bop Head]

[...] Tell me what you think [...]

TBH the backing track sounds unbearable for a Monk tune. Had to switch it off. Is that BIAB?

EDIT: Why don't you record a comping by yourself?

[lucky one]

TBH the backing track sounds unbearable for a Monk tune. Had to switch it off. Is that BIAB?

EDIT: Why don't you record a comping by yourself?

Well you are right indeed, the backing track sounds a bit artificial, and the piano is quite flat. Too bad indeed for a Thelonious Monk track
I have chosen that one as it has the right level of swing to inspire me and it was freely available on youtube.
Do you know good places to find backing tracks of good quality ? I will check BIAB, don't know that one yet.

I would indeed be happy to create my own backing tracks, but I miss quality jazz drum loops for that. Again I would love to have some references for that!

Thanks,

Luc

[Bop Head]

BIAB is the program Band-in-a-Box which I do not recommend. I bought it once but soon put it aside because I struggled to get convincing results. For drum loops many here recommend the iOS/Android app which I have not yet tried out but I recently bought a used tablet to be able to install it. It contains of MIDI loops of sampled drum hits programmed by someone with a keyboard that obviously sound very authentic.

By recording comping yourself I mean recording yourself on guitar. Either record the theme first to a click track and comp afterwards or record a few choruses with the melody in mind and improvise on that.

Peter Bernstein has been digging deep into Monk's music on guitar and has something to tell about it.

Serious question: Do you listen to Monk's music? If not you will not understand my commentary in the post above anyway.

[Bop Head]

BIAB is the program Band-in-a-Box which I do not recommend. I bought it once but soon put it aside because I struggled to get convincing results. For drum loops many here recommend the iOS/Android app which I have not yet tried out but I recently bought a used tablet to be able to install it. It contains of MIDI loops of sampled drum hits programmed by someone with a keyboard that obviously sound very authentic.

By recording comping yourself I mean recording yourself on guitar. Either record the theme first to a click track and comp afterwards or record a few choruses with the melody in mind and improvise on that.

Peter Bernstein has been digging deep into Monk's music on guitar and has something to tell about it.

Serious question: Do you listen to Monk's music? If not you will not understand my commentary in the post above anyway.

I forgot to write the name of the drum loop app: It is called Drumgenius.

[Bop Head]

This is Monk's first recording of his original composition:

[lucky one]

Well I'm completely in the discovery phase about Jazz Music, I have been listening extensively the Dave Brubeck Quartet albums lately, and now I'm focused on the Paul Desmond recordings because I'm totally in love with his sound.Thelonious Monk might be the next one. Of course I have some of his tracks in my playlists, but I still need to explore his albums.

So, I guess don't understand your comment the way you meant it, but I'm interested and listening carefully ...

What is the name of the iOS/Android app you recommend ? Ah yes Drumgenius, I use it indeed, it's a great app


Thanks,

Luc

[Bop Head]

When I started playing the guitar almost 35 years ago, the friend who taught me my first power chords had one of those mini keyboards with built in auto accompaniment. TBH your video sounds like you had selected the "swing" style on that keyboard.

If you listen to Monk's recordings from those very early ones (or even the earliest ones - AFAIK -, him accompanying Coleman Hawkins) to the latest ones in the 70ies before he decided to not get out of his bed in the mansion of the "jazz baroness" Pannonica de Koenigswarter any more, you will notice that he had a very particular and personal, sparse and edgy style. He was very advanced harmonically, having learned a lot under the mentorship of Mary Lou Williams (just like Dizzy Gillespie, Tadd Dameron and others), often also rather dissonant, hitting neighbored keys trying "to play the notes between the cracks", the contrary of easy listening. This special Monk-ish feeling is already included in the themes.

IMO Monk's compositions are among those deserving keeping that original spirit.

Maybe if you are just starting out you should try to play something more easily accessible. But it will not hurt to listen to a lot of Monk's music.

[lucky one]

IMO Monk's compositions are among those deserving keeping that original spirit.

Maybe if you are just starting out you should try to play something more easily accessible. But it will not hurt to listen to a lot of Monk's music.

Thank you! Really interesting and I think I understand what you mean. I have been listening the "Riverside Recordings" these last 3 days and I indeed get the "very particular and personal, sparse and edgy style" and the "rather dissonant, hitting neighbored keys trying to play the notes between the cracks" mentions.I really loved listening a lot of Thelonious, he's a real genius

About the cover I did, I now understand how far I am from the original spirit, but I am quite near what I enjoy to do, something like "playing some some nice melodies with some swing". I really dig when the jazzy music makes me want to dance, this is really what drives me currently.

On this specific track, I was inspired by an amazing version played by Mike Harrison on piano that really amaze me

And also this with a play-over on a Kenny Burrel's recording

Cheers,

Luc

[Bop Head]

[...] About the cover I did, I now understand how far I am from the original spirit, but I am quite near what I enjoy to do, something like "playing some some nice melodies with some swing". I really dig when the jazzy music makes me want to dance, this is really what drives me currently. [...]

That's for sure not the worst attitude for playing jazz. It must schwing!

Monk himself sometimes danced on stage while his band members were soloing as can be seen in many live videos on YouTube.

One musician who went deep into the spirit of Monk was soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy who recorded the tribute album "Reflections" in 1958 and later also played in Monk's band. I also recommend his collaborations with pianist Mal Waldron who was also deeply influenced by Monk. They played a lot of Monk material together.

Of the guitarists it's probably above mentioned Peter Bernstein who dug deepest into Monk's music. There are tons of videos of him on YouTube performing Monk's compositions.

[AllanAllen]

I like it a lot. Reminds me of Chet Atkins or Fausto Papetti. That really square stuff. Not everything has to sound like Mintons.

[Reg]

Yea... I gots to say, I liked it also....I'm sure Bop Head wasn't trying to knock your playing etc... I thought you used your skills and created a cool version of... Well You Needn't.

keep at it, good feel. Personally I didn't like some of the versions Bop Head posted... it all gets almost like personal choice.

Maybe Bop Head might post a version by himself...

[pamosmusic]

Of the guitarists it's probably above mentioned Peter Bernstein who dug deepest into Monk's music. There are tons of videos of him on YouTube performing Monk's compositions.

Or Steve Cardenas! Theres a great book of Monk transcriptions and Steve did the transcribing and editing.

Haven’t seen this video but love both of them doing monk together.

I think my favorite of Pete’s stuff is when he does the monk tunes solo. I saw him at Smalls once and he did Crepescule, Ruby My Dear, and a couple others.

[pamosmusic]

Yea... I gots to say, I liked it also....I'm sure Bop Head wasn't trying to knock your playing etc... I thought you used your skills and created a cool version of... Well You Needn't.

keep at it, good feel. Personally I didn't like some of the versions Bop Head posted... it all gets almost like personal choice.

Maybe Bop Head might post a version by himself...

I don’t think you have any monk on your channel? I’d love to see your take on something like that.

[Jimmy blue note]

So many things make a Monk "composition" a challenging and satisfying endeavour to unlock: Phrase length, harmonic movement, melodic possibilities suggested by the head itself and the ways they tie in with and inform the piece as a whole. Motific question and response. The space to step outside and the ways to come back inside...
I'm not saying you have to play like Monk, Charlie Rouse didn't, Coltrane didn't, but it takes a lot of inner knowledge of phrasing to play and respect a Monk piece.
I admire your spirit, and I like your playing, but I have to ask: What made you decide to play a Monk piece? What about Monk do you see that is unique from any other swing piece? What in those qualities did you use to bring out the Monk-ism in your solo? What do you hear in the original melodic piece that you found intriguing enough to solo on.
I'm just curious as to your process because I think this disparity kept me from enjoying your playing as much as you did playing it.
THanks for posting this.

[Jimmy blue note]

Of the guitarists it's probably above mentioned Peter Bernstein who dug deepest into Monk's music. There are tons of videos of him on YouTube performing Monk's compositions.

Miles Okazaki has a very personal take. And I feel a deep connection and understanding of Monk. His playing on Monk inspires me and actually opens me up to things I hadn't noticed in some Monk pieces.
Worth checking out IMHO

[Christian Miller]

Monk is a flipping minefield. The changes for Well you needn’t that most people play are, well, wrong, for a start. People still play them though. We can blame Miles Davis as with most things haha.

IMO doing Monks music justice requires a lot of attention to detail. It’s very specific. To add to the general confusion a lot of the greats also play Monk inaccurately (Miles, Wes etc.) So that’s a whole world of, well….

So there’s the sort of jam session version of these tunes that people play…

Heres a rant by Ethan Iverson if you want to feel properly told off. He also tells of Barry Harris (who shared a place with Monk at one point haha) so….
Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (including guest post by Eric Lewis) | DO THE M@TH

Anyway I enjoyed your playing in the OP. The backing track is awful though. IReal?

[Christian Miller]

This one’s a lot better but I guess may be too fast?

[mr. beaumont]

So, related, if slightly off topic...Is Monk "Un-AI-able?"

[lucky one]

Thank you everyone for the feedback!
Thanks Allan and Reg for your nice words
And Thanks Christian for the backing track, I will try it!

Does anyone know a good source of good quality backing tracks or some good drum loops ?
I would be ready to pay for that !

Cheers,

Luc