live music

 King Sophia

For this episode, we will be covering the less known aspects of the life and music of jazz giant, Thelonious Monk. The 2nd most recorded jazz composer in history, Monk’s cutting edge writing and improvisational styles are heralded major pioneering steps in the progress of Black music and he composed a great amount of what are now considered ‘jazz standards’. Many may know of Monk’s music and influence, but not of his complicated history and the intense persecution and erasure he experienced throughout his life and the many ways his story was rewritten and his character misrepresented to suit bigoted stereotypes. We will discuss all of these elements thoroughly interspersed by performances of some of his most influential compositions. Before the lecture and performance, there will be a showing of the documentary, Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser. Alongside rare footage of interviews and performances by Monk and his band, the film contains the only known footage of Monk off of the stage. For its cultural and historical significance, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The fourth musical focus in this series will be one of the most potent and under-discussed jazz vocalists, Betty Carter. Lovingly nicknamed Betty Bebop by Lionel Hampton’s wife and mentored by Dizzy Gillespie, Carter is beloved amongst jazz listeners for her unique vocal tone, her melodic precision, and her iconic scatting skills. However, most may not know how accomplished she was in composition, music business, and music education; between starting one of the first artist-led independent record labels, creating a Kennedy Center jazz education program that’s lasted over 25 years, and being one of the last prominent band singers of the era, her influence overall was massive — so much so that President Bill Clinton eventually awarded her the National Medal of the Arts. In this lecture, we will highlight her many talents and pay special attention to the incredible songs she composed through storytelling and through performances by the King’s Trio. The movie component for this episode will be Carter’s award-winning documentary. Still, Then, She’s Betty Carter, written and directed by Michelle Parkerson, is a significant contribution to the 1980s renaissance of Black Queer artistry and activism. We will spend some time discussing Parkerson’s and the film’s cultural relevance and political significance, as well as Carter’s own profound cultural footprint.