Gary Crosby Quartet presents MONK!

Bassist, bandleader, and Co-Founder of Tomorrow’s Warriors, Gary Crosby OBE brings his quartet to Crazy Coqs for this special EFG London Jazz Festival show exploring the music of the great Thelonious Monk and celebrating the 60-year anniversary of his seminal album Straight, No Chaser.

Recognised as one of the most original musicians in American history, Thelonious Monk fashioned a startlingly unique, inimitable playing and composing style that has influenced every succeeding jazz generation. Many of his compositions, including Round Midnight, Criss-Cross, and the title track from Straight, No Chaser, have entered the canon of great jazz standards.

But Monk pushed musical boundaries further than most. With its abrupt time changes and innovative phrasing, Brilliant Corners took around 25 takes to get right, and the engineer still had to splice two takes together!

“Monk led from the front, pushing in new directions and driving new musical panoramas. For Monk, there was no imitation… it was all innovation. He took traditional 12-bar structures to new levels. Musically, he is the point where the blues meets Bartók. He wasn’t afraid of silence; he lived inside his music, and his recordings still have the power to take you to places you have never been before. He was unique. There can never be another Monk… let’s celebrate him!”– Gary Crosby.