San Juan Hill: Monk's Mood

            Thelonious Monk was a genius, and embodied both the achievements and eccentricities that are attached to such a title. The contradictions of his genius are run parallel to the contradictions of the San Juan Hill neighborhood of New York where he grew up.

            San Juan Hill, on one hand, was a unique community. It contained the “largest concentration of black musicians in the city” and, “music was a major source of income for African-Americans, even if it wasn’t always their main vocation” (Kelly, 19). Furthermore, a strong community existed in San Juan Hill, held together in many aspects by several black churches located there. On the other hand, San Juan Hill was plagued by violence, which was often racial in nature. African-Americans in the area were in constant conflict with European immigrants that lived in the neighborhood, and the police as well. These conflicts, in addition to violence within the African-American community deeply affected Monk’s childhood (Kelly 18-19). Monk’s genius runs parallel to the contradictions present in the community. While his music is supremely unique, its genius is revealed in its juxtaposition with the eccentricities of his personality. This is similar to the community of San Juan Hill, an extremely difficult place to live, but also a unique community, especially for musicians, which may have existed as a direct result of the struggle of living there. This community undoubtedly shaped Monk’s psyche, his music and his genius. This is the meaning of the phrase “Jazz is New York”; the community and its inherent contradictions directly affect jazz artists and their music.

            The relationship of jazz to the Leimert Park community is similar. Leimert Park has been plagued by racial violence. Like San Juan Hill, a musical community formed there, in many ways in response to the violent and unsafe environment. In both areas, the community and conditions that existed there affected the music.


Commented on Phil Coren's blog