TS Monk Septet April 15, 2011

The son of the late iconoclastic jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, drummer, bandleader and composer T.S. Monk was drawn to the drums before the age of ten. His destiny was sealed when Max Roach, with whom he studied, gave him his first drum set. He joined his father's trio and toured with his dad until the elder Monk's retirement in 1975. T. S. then launched into the music that had captivated him and his generation, R&B. He first toured with a group called Natural Essence and afterward formed his own band. In 1992, T.S. Monk returned to jazz, forming the T.S. Monk Septet. Under his leadership, the group has earned rave reviews and is considered one of the most innovative ensembles on today's jazz circuit.