Monk!: Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution

In this vibrant and fitting testament to a jazz genius, Daoudi (Mayday) details musician Thelonious Monk’s life in black, white, and gold drawings that stylishly navigate the highs and lows of the jazz era. Chronicling the latter part of Monk’s adult life, Daoudi showcases the time period, jazz’s great musicians, and the man himself in drawings that set each scene with engaging authenticity. Each expertly illustrated story panel captures the energy and eccentricity fueling Monk’s creativity. Daoudi shares Monk’s musical sensibilities and evolution, as well as the depth of his unconventional friendship with Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter, a Rothschild heiress and legendary jazz patron, in images drawn with an almost tangible vitality. From the outset, the part de Koenigswarter played in Monk’s life is front and center. This biography weaves her history, and her influence on the era, into Monk’s life story by using her thoughts as narrative guideposts. This exceptional memoir will leave readers feeling they’ve experienced a brilliant performance. (Sept.)