He played drums in his legendary father's bands: Who is T. S. Monk?

I am one of those who cannot remain indifferent to the name Monk wherever I see it. If there is a Monk composition on an album, it deserves at least a quick listen, and if the first impression is good, it deserves to be listened to in depth. 

The same applies to the great composer-musicians in the transition period from jazz standards to original compositions, especially Shorter and Ellington. It's a very subjective way of listening, you're right, but it doesn't seem to be inconsistent within itself. 

First of all, this reflects the leader's perspective on jazz and his devotion to the craft. On the other hand, it can also be considered a show of strength. Well, it takes courage to intend to bring a new interpretation to compositions that have been played by almost every jazz musician, let alone those that were performed perfectly by the composer at the time.

Thelonious Sphere Monk III (born December 27, 1949) is an American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader. He is the son of jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.

I grant the same privilege to their fathers' daughters and sons. Children of great musicians such as Ravi Coltrane, China Moses, Chico Freeman, and Rosanne Cash, who have chosen music, are among the names that I cannot remain indifferent to in my journey of listening, regardless of the type of music they make.

One of them; Thelonious Sphere “T S” Monk III, or Toot as he has been known since his childhood, is the son of the great composer and pianist Thelonious Monk.

Towards the end of his happy and musical childhood, he began to experience his inevitable fate when Art Blakey gave him a drum set as a gift; He took his first lessons from Max Roach and, not only as a carrier of genetic heritage but also because of his talent on drums, he played drums in his father's bands from 1970 until 1975, when Thelonious Monk said goodbye to his active musical life.

Later, Toot shifted to the R&B genre with the band he founded with his sister Barbara, and after a few singles and albums that entered the charts, he formed his own acoustic jazz band. He continued his musical life with jazz albums and concerts consisting of his father's compositions in line with the spirit of the period.

Two Continents One Groove, labeled Storyville, is T S Monk's first live recording album and, as the name suggests, it is compiled from two concerts on two different continents. It includes 3 tracks from the 2014 Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival concert and 4 tracks from the 2016 concert in Bern, Switzerland.

The group consists of distinguished names from the jazz world. Tenor saxophonist Willie Williams has been in T S Monk's band since his first jazz album in 1992. Helen Sung, one of the first students of the Thelonious Monk Jazz Performance Institute and semi-finalist of the 1999 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition, is on the piano. 

Even though his composition is not included in the album, the shadow of the Great Priest of Jazz has fallen on the repertoire. All compositions except one are related to Thelonious Monk in some way.

Sierre, written by the leader for his daughter, Sierre Barbara Monk, opens the album enthusiastically with its catchy melody and arrangement that invites the listener to sing along with his body. Brother Thelonious, directed by Helen Sung, gives Evans, Williams, Sung, and Davis the opportunity to showcase their talents. Chessman's Delight, written by Randy Weston, who started his career under the influence of Thelonious Monk and eventually became one of the master's few friends, continues the high tempo of the album.