Thelonious Sphere Monk is recognized today as one of the great American composers, reworking and reinventing the compositions of jazz music that made devote followers yearn for his talent and fans stand in awe of his innovation. Monk was born October 10, 1917 in North Carolina but moved with his family to the San Juan Hill neighborhood of New York City when he was just four. Taking an early interest in music, he was a renowned pianist by his teens, performing at both local parties and at his church. He was said to have won several amateur hours at the Apollo Theater. Though he was accepted into the popular Peter Stuyvesant high school, he left after his sophomore year to attend to music full time.

After traveling with an evangelist playing piano, Monk returned to NYC and was hired by Kenny Clarke, a drummer, to perform nightly at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem. Revolutionizing the sounds of jazz, he was hailed as the "high priest of bebop" for his use of both the right and left hand. Hours jam sessions with some of jazz music greats like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Mary Lou Williams led to his most famous compositions, including "52nd Street Theme," "Round Midnight" and "I Mean You."

Monk only started recording around 1944 when saxophonist Coleman Hawkins hired him. Blue Note gave him a recording contract, and by 1947 he was recording his first pieces. Recruiting all types of musicians from old-school players to newbies, Monk stayed on as a Blue Noted band leader until 1952. Though at the time his recordings were seen as a commercial failure, today they are looked at as some of his greatest works.

Working with Prestige, he performed at the Paris Jazz Festival before signing over to Riverside Records. Finally, Monk's music was being understood. By 1957, people were willing to accept a new style for jazz pianists, and Monk became a celebrity, particularly when he worked with John Coltrane. He continued to perform until his retirement in 1973, after which he lived the rest of his life secluded from the world, suffering from mental illness and dying in 1983.