Because I love this record so much, my interest was piqued when I ran across the scanned pages from a notebook belonging to Monk on the Internets a year or so ago. After reading the notes, I immediately printed them and tacked them up on the wall in my office. I’m transcribing them here, because although they’re written to musicians, there’s some profound wisdom here for everyone. Forgive a couple of edits made — concessions to the format that don’t change the meaning — I hope.  I recommend reading them slowly, one at a time.

Note: I’m normally quite critical of long blog posts, and this is longer than my usual.  I thought that in this case, since most of the words are not mine, that it was worth it.

Just because you’re not a drummer doesn’t mean that you don’t have to keep time.

Pat your foot and sing the melody in your head when you play. Stop playing all that bullshit, those weird notes, play the melody!

Make the drummer sound good.

Discrimination is important
You’ve got to dig it to dig it, you dig?

All reet!

Always know…(Monk→)

It must always be night, otherwise they wouldn’t need the lights.

Let’s LIFT THE BANDSTAND!!

I want to AVOID the HECKLERS.

Don’t play the piano part. I’m playing that. Don’t listen to me, I’m supposed to be accompanying you!

The inside of the tune (the bridge) is the part that makes the outside sound good.

Don’t play everything (or every time); let some things go by. Some music is just imagined. What you don’t play can be more important than what you do.

Always leave them wanting more.

A note can be as small as a pin or as big as the world, it depends on your imagination.

Stay in shape! Sometimes a musician waits for a gig, & when it comes he’s out of shape & can’t make it.

What should we wear tonight? Sharp as possible!

Don’t sound anybody for a gig, just be on the scene.

Those pieces were written so as to have something to play & to get cats interested enough to come to rehearsal.

You’ve got it!  If you don’t want to play, tell a joke or dance, but in any case, you got it! (to a drummer who didn’t want to solo.)

Whatever you think can’t be done, somebody will come along and do it.  A genius is the one most like himself.

They tried to get me to hate white people, but someone would always come along & spoil it.