Monk and Politics

Thelonious Monk grew up in one of the most turbulent communities of his generation. Transplanted into the San Juan Hill neighborhood at a young age, Monk’s development as an artist and a person were influenced by the violence and the culture that surrounded his peaceful and tolerant family. Regardless of the crime and riots that often punctuated San Juan Hill’s atmosphere, incredible music was bred in the bohemian back alleys, resulting in the city being home to the highest concentration of black jazz musicians in New York. The strong community was forged based on the music that emanated from literally every home, which contributed greatly to Monk’s attitude as it regarded politics versus music. His simplistic view most likely stems from his mother’s attempts to raise him with good, strong values and a very non-political view of right and wrong. She reared a household where music, religion, and kindness were of utmost importance, even in a community where the papers only reported on racism, violence, and politics (Kelley 19).
Throughout his life, Monk was incensed with politics, be they racial or not, as they affected his ability to play and listen to good jazz music, which they often did. When he first started playing at the Five Spot with his quartet, the union took his drummer right in the middle of a set because he wasn’t legally allowed to work, which made Monk incredibly angry. When he was arrested, falsely convicted of possessing narcotics, and stripped of his cabaret card, his inability to play his music sent him into a deep depression. He had a very strong sense of right and wrong and, as Rouse said, “If he thinks he’s right, he sticks by what he thinks,” (Kelley 254). This is a lighthearted way to describe Monk’s very stubborn sense of self, which often resulted in uncharacteristic violence.
His relationship with Nica is one of many parts of his life that epitomizes his lack of patience with racial barriers. Having such a close relationship with a white woman in the 1930’s was not only looked down upon, but also often resulted in arrests and riots. One could assume that, based on his personality, Monk was just oblivious to the politics of his time, except for the fact that Kelley often discusses the artist’s interest in discussing such matters. It is evident, then, that Monk simply put little stock in those affairs, choosing instead to focus on his music. For the sake of music, however, he often participated in rebellion against the system, which resulted in a series of arrests, some involving Nica. At a hotel in Delaware, he was beaten to the ground by multiple policemen simply for looking for something to drink. “’Thelonious was so mad, he wouldn’t move. He took hold of the car door… and couldn’t be budged until one cop started beating on his hands with a billy club, his pianist’s hands,’” (Kelley 254). Completely intolerant of the racism rampant in society, one cannot say that Monk was not involved. As a black man, and a prominent one at that, his association with politicos and whites like Nica often pushed him into the midst of the violent racial wars occurring in America at that time. However, Monk sought to create a world, at least musically, of freedom. In his mind, the creation of music was most important, because in the violent neighborhoods he was raised in, it was the single unifier of very diverse groups of people.