“Implicit Unwelcome Sexual Advances” and Thelonious Monk

I cannot listen to vocal music when I’m working—I find the lyrics distracting, worming their way into whatever I’m doing. So, instrumental jazz has always been the background music of my creative endeavors: piano, trumpet, saxophone, whatever — as long as it’s beautiful. Everything but Thelonious Monk’s version of “When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” … [Read more…]