I guess my hang up is with the title "composer" it connotes a sense of rigid multi-part arrangement that isn't often seen in the world of jazz, with the exception of big band ensembles, which tend to rely considerably less on improvisation than most other styles of jazz.
As far as melodic composition I would have to agree with you. There is a certain paradox in Monk's composition's in that he often stretched the boundaries of time and syncopation in his actual performance of his own material, yet the core melodies were very "user friendly" for other musicians to work around.
Let's not forget that while Mingus was known to become frustrated with the musicians he worked with, the case with Monk was quite the opposite, as he himself would frustrate his musicians by deliberately throwing off their sense of timing while staying completely within the meter of the song. It was almost a game for him.
|