Happy Birthday Thelonious Monk

"Widely considered one of the most important musicians in jazz, Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire (including his classic works "'Round Midnight" and "Blue Monk"). He is often regarded as a founder of bebop, although his playing style evolved away from the form. His compositions and improvisations are full of dissonant harmonies and angular melodic twists, and are impossible to separate from Monk's unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of silences and hesitations." Wikipedia

Go to a National Public Radio site and hear (or download an MP3) an hour show about this man who influenced jazz.

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Crown Royal: Jazz Music

I'm the first to say Jazz bands in commercials is over used and often under conceived. But Grey does it about as good as it can be done. It's the subtext that's often missing from other "Jazz" featured spots. Here there is actually a reason and story told that makes this spot attention worthy and somewhat captivating. This is in direct opposition to the commercials that use the genre to say "this is something African Americans do" & aren't we clever to use it. The atmosphere in the club, the lighting and the music itself, though often done well, in this instance are really well rendered and enliven the message. The narration feels good and though the writing smells a tad cliche together they work.

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