Thelonious Monk: I Surrender, Dear (Solo Monk, 1965)

For me, Monk's interpretations of ballads are profoundly moving. Is it their weirdness and quirkiness? The apparent simplicity of the melodies he chooses? I can't really explain it yet, but I love it. This tune here is a great illustration.

As always, he chooses precisely the voicing he plays. I love the alternation, bars 2 of each A, between A7 and Bb7, it add a nice variation to the song.

You can also purchase the full album transcription!

Listen here.

PDF, 3 pages