“Blue Monk” is one of Thelonious Monk’s most famous compositions, recorded in 1954. It’s a simple, catchy blues that’s become a jam-session staple, and it’s a perfect introduction to Monk’s quirky, rhythmic style. Monk played it throughout his career, and many musicians consider it one of the best blues heads ever written.
The form is a 12-bar blues, usually in Bb. The changes follow a standard jazz blues: Bb7, Eb7, Bb7, then Eb7 with a diminished passing chord, back to Bb7, and a ii-V turnaround (Cm7, F7) to the top. The melody uses chromatic movement and repeated notes, which give it Monk’s playful, slightly off-center feel.
For improvisation, combine the Bb blues scale with Monk-style ideas: repeated notes, wide intervals, half-step clashes and lots of space. Take a motif from the melody and develop it, changing its rhythm or moving it to different beats. Over Eb7, highlight the G (third) and Db (seventh). Monk’s own solos are short and thematic, often built from just a few ideas, so try limiting yourself to two or three motifs per chorus.
Practice the head until you can play it with Monk’s accents and rhythm. Improvise choruses using only the blues scale, then only chord tones, then combine them. Pianists should experiment with Monk-style voicings that include seconds and whole-tone sounds.
Common mistake: playing generic blues licks without Monk’s character. Use space and surprise.
Gig tip: “Blue Monk” is a great tune to call at a jam session because almost everyone knows it. Play the head twice at the start and end, and trade fours with the drummer before the last head for a classic finish.
Recordings to study: Monk’s 1954 trio version, his performances with Johnny Griffin and Charlie Rouse, and his solo piano takes. Learn more about the composer on Thelonious Monk’s Wikipedia page, and find more jazz blues lead sheets on Minedit.