Tuesday, April 18, 2006
I'm not sure how I feel about the Special Citation the Pulitzer people have awarded Thelonious Monk. Of course he deserves it-- so did Duke Ellington. It just seems odd that they are just getting around to it now. In a funny way it feels like the Pulitzer Committee is using Monk to legitimize itself. Nice for his family I guess. Poor son of a bitch couldn't get a cabaret card when he needed it, but he's in solid with the Establishment now. If the Pulitzer folks are interested in laying a prize on a cat who is still alive and still important, I can think of several deserving candidates in the jazz realm: Bill Frizell would be a good pick, and so would Dave Brubeck-- but the man I'd nominate would be Randy Weston.
// posted by Bill @ 8:42 PM 
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