The Synergism of intrinsic musical talent and external influences

San Juan Hill was a community characterized by a duality between cultural potential and ethnic disintegration. The cultural diversity within the predominantly African-American community was infused with racial tension leading to various outbursts of violence (Kelley, 16). The diverse ethnic and cultural groups of San Juan Hill were partitioned into sub-populations under the influence of social constraints imposed by racial disintegration. The racial divide was amplified by a lack of economic potential and populous housing conditions which forcefully condensed these opposing subpopulations into a limited living space, thereby fueling the racial tensions felt within the community. Economic struggle, poverty and drug affiliated crime involvement had socially deteriorating effects on the community and facilitated frustration and desperation driven race conflicts (Kelley 19, 23). In contrast the cultural diversity of San Juan Hill fostered an environment enabling immense cultural exchange. Despite the racial tensions induced by cultural differences and economic disparity, the diversity of San Juan Hill was granted a medium which allowed for cross-cultural integration in the form of music and art. Contrary to the negative image portrayed of San Juan Hill, its vibrant music scene and prominent jazz culture fueled enormous cultural exchange (Kelley 18). The residents of San Juan Hill living in the societal duality between diversity-induced violence, racism, and economic disparity contrasting immense potential of cross cultural integration granted by the art forms, were often polarized towards one of these opposing scenes. Thelonious Monk, however, managed to nurture from the hardships he faced growing up within his community, strengthening his personality, which ultimately allowed him “to stay true to his own musical vision despite disparaging critics and musicians” (Kelley 37).

After moving to New York from rural North Caroline, Barbara Monk, Thelonious’ mother managed to keep her son from the streets by emphasizing the concepts of tolerance, virtue and discipline (Kelley 22). Her strong affiliation with the Baptist church influenced Monk’s education further and exposed him and his siblings to the rhythms of sacred music and hymns (Kelley 27). In addition to the educational values implemented by his mother, Monk’s involvement with the Columbus Hill Community Center significantly influenced his development. The Columbus Hill Community Center provided various social services including musical training and constituted “the true center of social life for Black youth in the neighborhood”, shielding them from the racial tensions and violence prevailing in the streets (Kelley 25). Similar to the Columbus community center functioning as a refuge in escaping the harsh reality of the streets, cultural hubs in Leimert Park fostered an environment in which free expression, cultural exchange and an anti-violence ideology was promoted. The “Coffee House” and “World Stage” of Leimert Park functioned similarly to the Columbus Hill Community Center by creating an alternative to the violence ridden reality of disintegration in that they promoted peaceful coexistence as well as providing a unifying communal institution.

However, what ultimately polarized Monk towards pursuing a musical career and sharing his musical genius with the world cannot be entirely attributed to his mother’s education or the influences of the community center. The most important impulse sparking his passion for music and his decision to pursue a career in jazz was the rich enthusiasm that lingered in the air of San Juan Hill’s music culture. San Juan Hill boasted the largest concentration of black musicians in the city of New York and music was persistently heard throughout the hallways of apartment complexes and the streets (Kelley 20). The cultural diversity constituting the social setting in San Juan Hill enabled the cross-cultural integration of European and African-American music complemented by influences from musical traditions ranging to the Caribbean and the West Indies. The vast diversity of cultural input that was felt in the music scene in New York supports the analogy of Jazz being New York. People submerged in the cultural and societal setting of New York experienced many of the challenges that characterized the jazz scene: Racial tensions and competition fueled by the ideology of segregation and intolerance. The diversity of New York with the mass cultural exchange that was enforced by the condensed living space was similar to the accelerated racial integration felt in the jazz community as jazz rose to national popularity. Both New York and the Jazz scene similarly overcame these challenges by creating a cultural space that remains unmatched in its diversity and complexity.  The cultural diversity of New York created a vibrant and enthusiastic cultural environment similar to the liveliness of artistic innovation that is portrayed in Jazz. This similarity between the jazz culture and New York produced a viable environment for the development of Monk’s musical genius. Intrinsic musical talent coupled with the nurturing external influences of a music infused culture in a vibrant and diverse setting produced a powerful synergistic effect that shaped the success of Thelonious Monk’s career as a jazz musician.  

References:

“Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original”. Robin Kelley

“Leimert Park: A Documentary Film” J. Lindsay