Thelonious Monk > Quotes

“The piano ain't got no wrong notes.”
― Thelonious Monk

“A genius is the one most like himself.”
― Thelonious Monk

“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.”
― Thelonious Monk

“It's always night, or we wouldn't need light.”
― Thelonious Monk

“You've been making the wrong mistakes.”
― Thelonious Monk

“Where’s jazz going? I don’t know. Maybe it’s going to hell. You can’t make anything go anywhere. It just happens.”
― Thelonious Monk

“They tried to get me to hate white people, but someone would always come along & spoil it.”
― Thelonious Monk

“Don't play everything (or every time); let some things go by… What you don't play can be more important than what you do.”
― Thelonious Monk

“I’m famous. Ain’t that a bitch?”
― Thelonious Monk

“You've got to dig it to dig it, you dig?”
― Thelonious Monk

“Monk's reasons for dancing during a performance: "I get tired sitting down at the piano! That way I can dig the rhythm better.”
― Thelonious Monk

“YOU'VE GOT TO DIG IT TO DIG IT, YOU DIG? ... ~ Thelonious Monk”
― Thelonious Monk, A Thelonious Monk Study Album

“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture”
― Thelonious Monk

“The loudest noise in the world is silence.”
― Thelonious Monk