When Monk got that gig at the Five Spot
his fortunes changed. The overseas tours,
the college campuses, the big jazz festivals
like
after years with fugitive labels like Blue Note,
Prestige, and
to do with him. By Underground, he wasn’t underground
anymore, if he ever had been. An underground jazz musician?
Don’t try to shit the shitter. Teo Macero’s idea was for him to do
an album of Beatles tunes. He got what he wanted
and lost what he had. He didn’t, but it did.
They did. Success is failure with
higher income taxes.
At a recording date,
they charged him for
having the piano tuned.
He was better off with Ira Gitler
or Rudy van Gelder. Keep it in the family,
William S. Burroughs told Jesse Bernstein.
Stick with your friends.