RK: This is the critical debate among biographers and historians who write about artists who have bipolar disorder. But could Monk had been Monk without it? Did it contribute to his life and work as well? LS: You're careful not to romanticize mental illness, to show what his episodes took from his life and work. 2) I tried to remove the stigma from bipolar disorder and disentangle it from representations of him as being 'crazy.' Most of the time Monk was stable, and those difficult moments sometimes only occurred twice or three times a year. I don't know if I got everything right, but I tried to do two essential things: 1) show that Monk's ups and downs were episodic rather than a constant condition. The short answer to the question is 'evidence' (to quote a Monk song!) I tried not to speculate much and look at a combination of factors and sources. She knew exactly what he was taking and when and the side effects it had, not to mention the kind of treatment he received in the late 1950s when he made a few trips to Los Angeles.) Anna Lou Smith, a respected psychiatrist in Los Angeles and pioneer of the community mental health movement who not only knew Monk pretty well but intervened a few times in his care. (And let me add that I benefited from the expert advice and insight of Nellie's cousin, Dr. The combination only worsened his condition.

The evidence I found suggest that his most significant problem was poor medical care and the fact that he had a doctor administering amphetamines in the guise of 'vitamin shots' while he was taking quite a bit of Thorazine. For Monk, I think this may have been the case (though he drank regularly up until his late 50s when he gave up alcohol, and used drugs intermittently, it is hard to describe him as an addict). Addiction was an issue and it's far too complicated to discuss it here, but I did read as much as I could about bipolar disorder and learned that some people who suffer from the disease are prone to drug and alcohol addiction as a way of coping with chemical imbalances. Some of Monk's actions were rebellious, some were quite conservative in light of new political and artistic directions. First, I had to put Thelonious Monk in context as a struggling black male artist in a racist society during a dynamic era of black social movement, the toppling of formal segregation, and dramatic shifts in the political and cultural landscape.

One of the most important scat singers was Ella Fitzgerald.LS: As a historian, how did you tease out mental illness from addiction and from his essential rebel nature?.

Scat solos, like their instrumental counterparts, are improvised.

Scat singing (AKA 'scatting') is a type of singing whereby the vocalist imitates the style of Bebop jazz solos (as played by instrumentalists) using nonsense syllables.

alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (his nickname was 'Bird').

Two of the most important Bebop musicians were: Bebop was primarily an African American invention. Whereas Big Band Swing was considered entertainment (i.e., dance music), Bebop was considered art music (like classical music, bebop was for listening only) Bebop musicians considered themselves artists, not merely entertainers.Р”Р‡. Bebop requires musical virtuosity and artistry to play it.

Bebop musicians improvise far more complex solos than those of the Swing Era.Bebop melodies are more intricate and difficult to play than swing melodies.Tempos are often much faster (although the Bebop style can be played at any tempo).Bebop was, and still is, the music most played at jazz jam sessions because all the musicians need to know are the head (the song's main melody) and chords.Р”В«ebop is far more musically complex than its Big Band Swing forbearer.Some of the most famous jam sessions in jazz history occurred at a nightclub called MintonРІР‚в„ўs Playhouse in Harlem in the 1940's. Jam sessions can be held anywhere (e.g., someoneРІР‚в„ўs house, a bar, nightclub, etc.).Jam sessions are informal, non-rehearsed gatherings of musicians where they play together, challenge each other (who can 'outplay' whom), and learn from each other.Although usually a quintet, Bebop combos can range in size from a trio (e.g., piano, bass, and drums) to a septet (e.g., three horns, guitar, and rhythm section - piano, bass, and drums).Р”В«ebop, in large part, developed through jam sessions.A typical Bebop combo is comprised of two horns (e.g., trumpet and saxophone) and rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums).1Р”В«ebop was primarily played by small groups (combos). Bebop was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most concentrated growth and development from 1940 РІР‚вЂњ 1955.

Thelonious monk bebop