Examining the Relationship between the Compositions of Thelonious Monk with the Motivic Improvisations of Saxophonist Charlie Rouse

From 1959-1970, tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse established himself as the most consistent interpreter of Thelonious Monk’s music. Rouse’s improvisational contributions will be discussed in terms of phrase structure and motivic unity, demonstrating major stylistic and interpretative differences when compared to higher profile collaborators including John Coltrane and Johnny Griffin.