Chez Janie

Nica, Nellie and Monk: A Jazz Triangle, Part 1

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:03:00 GMT

I would like to tell you about two women with whom you may not be familiar. Each woman, while coming from extremely different worlds, had common elements. Each set her own course in life and defied conventional wisdom. They also shared one common denominator who would define their lives for the ages: Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk.

Nica, Nellie and Monk : A Jazz Triangle, Part 2

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:01:00 GMT

If Nica adopted jazz at some point in her life, Nellie Smith Monk WAS jazz. She seemed to improvise her entire life throughout difficult circumstances. Nellie Smith was born in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1921 but moved to Manhattan at age 6 where she met Monk when she was just 14 and he 17 years old.

Welcome to Chez Janie

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:09:00 GMT

As Americans, we can and should proudly grant ourselves a share of sweat-equity in the jazz heritage. After all, it came from our collective experience.