Ugly Beauty

Kids are so damn smart. That is, if you train them to look and listen and think, give them something worthy to look at, listen to and think about— and then invite them to express what’s on their mind. That’s what I tried to do with all the kids in all my classes, but was consistently particularly astounded by the 8^th graders comments on the music we listened to in our weekly Jazz History class.

 

I happen to believe that mandatory Jazz History—well-taught, of course, not just dates and facts— is something worthy of children’s attention. That Thelonious Monk is one of many whose music is worthy of deep listening.  You wouldn’t guess that right away if you know his music or listened to it for the first time. On some level, it’s quite abstract and complex.  But inside of all that is a childlike simplicity and spirit that connects with listeners of all ages— which apparently includes 8^th graders.

The following quotes reveal that kids get Monk. They notice his ambiguities, the way he connects apparent opposites so that there is no contradiction. Like the title of one of his compositions—Ugly Beauty— he plays chords that seem like they should be wrong according to standard Western theory but somehow sound right. (In describing Ugly Beauty, one of the kids got the essence of the title without knowing the title: “ Sounds like a lot of mistakes: pretty.” Things that in one context would sound ugly in his context sound beautiful. Go figure. 

 

One of the first recordings I have the kids listen to is his improvisation on a blues (not his composition) called Bag’s Groove, recorded with a Miles Davis group. Listen to how the kids describe it:

• Childlike, yet complex.

• Relaxing, off-key notes.

 • He’s thinking and you can tell, choosing the notes systematically. It sounds like he’s playing the wrong chords, but it works. He’s thinking, remembering and then thinking again. It’s odd, but I like it!  

• Sounds kind of off-key, but also like he planned his solo out before he did it. He knew what sounded good together, even if we don’t think so. 

 

This would all mean much to you if you actually could hear the same thing the kids are describing. So in a daring first multi-media Blogpost experience, I’m going see if this Youtube link works. Monk’s solo begins at 6:49.  https://youtu.be/Wfpwt21Lglc

    

Then I played a solo piano interpretation of another jazz standard (again, not his composition) called I Should Care.  Listen to how intelligently this 14-year old speaks of it.

 

"The suspense is hard to take. You want to hear it, but he’s thinking and he knows you want it so he doesn’t give it to you right away. He draws you deeper in, then surprises you with odd chords and fast scales. It’s romantic with a twist, his thoughts coming at you through the notes."

 

Listen and see if you agree.  https://youtu.be/vTC2mRkaEzg

 

Like I said, kids are smart. Now if only adults were smart enough to serve them Monk and Miles and Milt and more at the table of compulsory education.