Therapy.

[Hardbopjazz]

Sure looks as if Monk is in therapy.  
 

[sonnymax]

Yeah, I can see how you'd make that assumption. However, consider this photo from the same shoot:

Few, if any, therapists serve their patients ice cream. The description provided for the 1961 photo by Ted Williams you posted reads, "American jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk resting during an interview." 

 

[JSngry]

18 minutes ago, sonnymax said:

Few, if any, therapists serve their patients ice cream.

And this is a fatal systemic flaw of the entire industry!

Ask anybody (who's not physically disincentivized or otherwise placed at risk by the consumption of the product) - Ice Cream makes EVERYTHING better!!!!!

[HutchFan]

1 minute ago, JSngry said:

Ask anybody (who's not physically disincentivized or otherwise placed at risk by the consumption of the product) - Ice Cream makes EVERYTHING better!!!!!

So true.

 

[T.D.]

4 hours ago, sonnymax said:

Yeah, I can see how you'd make that assumption. However, consider this photo from the same shoot:

Few, if any, therapists serve their patients ice cream. The description provided for the 1961 photo by Ted Williams you posted reads, "American jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk resting during an interview." 

 

Excellent point. I was going to say "...or being interviewed", but didn't have the add'l info.

[Added] I'd think photographing a therapy session would raise issues related to doctor-patient confidentiality.

Edited October 27, 2021 by T.D.

[JSngry]

Enough of the past, let's deal with the present - the systemic abuse of patients by an entire profession of their willful withholding of the proven therapeutic value of ice cream!

The past is decided, but the future can be cured, perhaps even prevented!

SCOOPS FOR ALL!!!!

[EKE BBB]

[jlhoots]

I think (Dr.) Eddie Henderson took care of Monk at some point. Maybe when he (Henderson) was a psych. resident at a hospital.

Balancing a career in psychiatry with his love of forward-thinking post-bop and fusion, trumpeter Eddie Henderson has cut a distinctive path in modern jazz.

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by jlhoots

[sonnymax]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

I think (Dr.) Eddie Henderson took care of Monk at some point. Maybe when he (Henderson) was a psych. resident at a hospital.

I wasn't aware of this fact. From an NPR story in 2015: 

Henderson ended up treating the jazz great Thelonious Monk as a patient, when the latter was struggling with his mental health. "They really didn't know what to do with this gentleman. He gave them a fit," Henderson says. "After they found out that I knew who he was, they allowed me to take him to his gigs. It was just a little bizarre; that's the best way I can put it."

[JSngry]

Ramsey Ameen once worked as an orderly at a faculty where Monk was a resident. Apparently Monk liked to paint while he was in there, paint a lot of sky.

 

 

[sgcim]

He did spend time in a mental institution. A sax player I knew said they wanted him to give a performance for his fellow patients. They introduced him to the audience, telling them, "Mr. Monk is a famous jazz musician, and would like to play a concert for you today".

Monk just sat up there, staring at them for a few minutes, then slammed the piano closed and yelled at them, "My dick is bigger than yours!"
That was the end of the concert.
I never found that in any of the books written about him. Probably circulated among musicians, like Bill Crow's stories.

[JSngry]

4 minutes ago, sgcim said:

He did spend time in a mental institution.

As I understand it, he was "in and out" in his later days, mostly out, but occasionally needing some institutional care until he could stabilize.

[Dan Gould]

I may be off on details but the story I liked most was that he would spend his time in his room in the house in Jersey, and various pianists would come and play the piano in the living room. Often with the door being shut after they started to play. But Barry Harris(?), Monk would open the door to hear him.

[Hardbopjazz]

4 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

I may be off on details but the story I liked most was that he would spend his time in his room in the house in Jersey, and various pianists would come and play the piano in the living room. Often with the door being shut after they started to play. But Barry Harris(?), Monk would open the door to hear him.

He did spend a lot of time in his bedroom. Once at a Barry Harris show at the Vanguard, Barry told a story about Monk. Both were living in the baroness' house in Hackensack. Barry said he was practicing a tune for about 3 hours. Barry said he paused before playing some more. When he started up again, Monk opened his bedroom door and yelled "Shut the fuck up. You know it enough" 

When I was in the 11th grade, I was in the school band. I had a friend in the band who's mom was Monk's niece. He told our music teacher Monk was his Mom's uncle. Our teacher asked if he could call Monk and see if he would come to the school. My friend's mom called, but he wouldn't come out of his bedroom to talk on the phone. I assuming the woman on the the other end of the call was Nica, but don't know for sure. This was in 1980.    

[Ken Dryden]

On 10/27/2021 at 10:55 AM, HutchFan said:

So true.

 

Depends on the brand, premium only, no Blue Bunny or other artificial flavored stuff will be acceptable.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Ken Dryden