Program Note

For a musician who is pure as the driven wind, being forced to speak in a language other than music is painful. For legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, this was the case when he taped a French TV show after a European tour. Monk, who is a native English speaker, and the host, who doesn't speak English, have no translator. There is only tension and honest sweat between them as they exchange questions and answers. Monk, who seems to be most comfortable when he's playing the piano, even on the air, reveals a clear world of his own, even through the worn film texture. This documentary was edited from footage shot in 1969, and the rawness of the footage is stunning.(Nam Sunwoo)