Xhosa Cole shared details of his third album On A Modern Genius (Vol. 1), a live tribute to the works of Thelonious Monk.

Monk has always had a special place in Xhosa’s heart, who first connected with his music through saxophonist Sonny Rollins. “My route to connecting to him was through Rollins, both geniuses of modern music in their own rights. Masters of melodies, riffing and spontaneity, they are kings in a dynasty of improvised music. Monk has a strong legacy of being an influential mentor and teacher to countless young aspiring jazz musicians – Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Billy Higgins, Barry Harris and Johnny Griffin. This legacy lived on through his compositions. Through his recordings and study of his writing, I’ve learnt so much about the infrastructure that holds melody and groove together, and through his improvising, I’m learning about the intersection of authenticity, identity and expression.”

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