Program

For this very special first class, Weston shares his wisdom on the indelible music of Thelonious Monk, highlighting the master’s evolution from stride piano style to his role as a leading architect of bebop.

SFJAZZ Education and San Francisco Conservatory of Music are thrilled to welcome our very special guest for this first class, NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston. Heralded as one of the world’s most visionary pianists and composers, Weston was a friend and contemporary of Monk (albeit younger), and most certainly was influenced by him. In addition, Weston’s devotion to championing the connections between jazz and African music were (and are) groundbreaking, evolving over his lifetime from numerous collaborations and recordings, to several years spent in Tanger, Morocco running his African Rhythms club.