'Round Midnight (song)

"'Round Midnight"
Song by Thelonious Monk
Published	1944
Genre	Jazz
Composer	Thelonious Monk

"'Round Midnight" is a 1944 jazz standard by pianist Thelonious Monk. Jazz artists Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Pepper, and Miles Davis have further embellished the song, with songwriter Bernie Hanighen adding lyrics. Both Williams and Hanighen have received co-credits for their contributions.

History

It is thought that Monk originally composed the song sometime in 1940 or 1941. However, Harry Colomby claims that Monk may have written an early version around 1936 (at the age of 19) with the title "Grand Finale". "'Round Midnight" is the most-recorded jazz standard composed by a jazz musician.^[1] In allmusic.com it appears in over 1000 albums. The song is also called "'Round About Midnight", as Miles Davis used this title for his Columbia Records album Round About Midnight (1957) that included a cover of the song based on Dizzy Gillespie's interpretation.

Monk recorded the song on the following albums: Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1 (first recording of the song by Monk); Thelonious Himself; Mulligan Meets Monk; Misterioso; Thelonious Monk at the Blackhawk; Monk's Blues (bonus track).

Tribute

Round Midnight Variations is a collection of variations on "'Round Midnight", composed by Roberto Andreoni, Milton Babbitt, Alberto Barbero, Carlo Boccadoro, William Bolcom, David Crumb. George Crumb, Michael Daugherty, Filippo Del Corno, John Harbison, Joel Hoffman, Aaron Jay Kernis, Gerald Levinson, Tobias Picker, Matthew Quayle, Frederic Rzewski, Augusta Read Thomas and Michael Torke.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ 'Round Midnight at jazzstandards.com - retrieved on February 20, 2009
2. ^ Matthew Quayle

References

• Gourse, Leslie. Straight, No Chaser: The Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk. Schirmer Books, 1998. ISBN 0-8256-7229-5