Every Genius Needs a Community

Thelonious Monk’s family moved to San Juan Hill at a time when this part of the city was known for its violence (Kelley 16). Race riots were a common sight and conflict between cultural groups, such as “between Caribbean and Southern blacks” was eminent (Kelley 17, loc. 704). This violent community also harbored a “diversity of cultures” which significantly influenced Monk’s music and artistic talent (Kelley loc. 679). Nevertheless, despite the violence, San Juan Hill fostered a “strong sense of community” among the black population, which was mainly held together through music (Kelley loc 729, 727). Specifically, San Juan Hill was a “neighborhood […] full of jazz sounds” and thus offered the perfect precondition for shaping Monk’s genius as a jazz musician (Kelley 27). Thus, San Juan Hill influenced Monk’s development as a genius and he in turn influenced the community by attempting to transcend racial boundaries.

Monk’s mother, Barbara, and the Columbus Hill Neighborhood Center proved to have the most influence on his development and musical genius (Kelley loc 800, 944). The community center functioned as a sanctuary away from the violence and so did Monk’s home. In both places Monk’s artistic qualities were advanced by offering him open, free-spirited and safe areas. Barbara encouraged her children to experience the “rich cultural life” of New York and exposed them to various musical artists and cultures (Kelley loc. 800). She also provided a “popular hangout […] for many of the young neighborhood musicians” in the family’s apartment and thus brought Monk into contact with many musicians and jazz styles (Kelley 1065). The Columbus Hill Neighborhood Center served as a social setting in which Monk formed many cross cultural friendships (Kelley loc. 1060). Also, Monk started his first band in the safe haven of the community center (Kelley loc. 1135). The openness of his home and the center enabled Monk to express his individuality and genius. The community and the various music styles and cultures are reflected in Monk’s music and thus the community helped him shape his music. In sum, multicultural (mostly jazz) influences combined with safe havens for artistic expression to form Monk’s musical genius. Furthermore, the violence and the community around music in the Hill led Monk to become an advocator for transcending racial lines through the creation of a musical community (Stewart 2/24). This attitude that tragedy helps foster a communal sense of belonging clearly influenced his further career and musical style.

This alludes to why people say “Jazz is New York, Man!” No man is an island and similarly no genius can adequately flourish without the right community that embraces such a genius. San Juan Hill provided Monk the musical black community, the center and his home as spaces for his artistic development. Further, the predominantly black community was very artistic, musical and multicultural, which clearly influenced and shaped Monk’s music. Also, this community is especially noteworthy for its ability to embrace musicians from socially oppressed groups. Therefore, New York provides an appropriate community for supporting and shaping geniuses like Monk, who in turn shape the Jazz movement.

 A similar jazz supporting community arose in Leimert Park. There the 5^th Street Dicks Coffee House and The World Stage provided artists with a safe haven away from racial violence (Leimert Park). Similar to the community center and Monk’s home, the two sanctuaries enabled artistic exchange and provided a venue for expressing musical genius. Most importantly, these centers created a community around music. Again a reflexive relationship ensues, as the community influenced the artists by providing multicultural influences and safe havens, and the artists influence the community by creating a non-violent and open culture around jazz.

In sum, communities that are multicultural, musical and which provide safe havens foster the development and discovery of geniuses like Monk and other important musicians. These musicians in turn influence the community based on how it shaped them. In Monk’s case violence interacted with the promise of transcending racial boundaries through music and this enabled him to create a community beyond racial dichotomies (Stewart 2/24). Similarly, the musicians in Leimert Hill were following the same idea of creating a non-violent and open culture around jazz in order to move beyond violent divides. 

(I apologize for the inconsistent citing because my Kindle Edition didn't have page numbers and the Google book only had certain pages available)

Commented on : Leah Bleichblog