Thelonious Monk’s Legacy Jazzes Up Stetson

Old-school jazz brought audience members of all ages to their feet dancing at the new Stetson Library Branch, during ​“A Celebration of Jazz,” put on in collaboration by the Shubert Theatre, Monk Youth Jazz, the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, and the New Haven Free Public Library.

The event, held Saturday, showcased performances by the band Chill, featuring members of Thelonius Monk’s family and Monk Youth Jazz students.

The event served as an educational accompaniment to a show at the Shubert this coming Saturday: Legendary Jazz Pianist Monty Alexander, From Jamaica to Jazz to the World.

Alexander recently released an album about Thelonious Monk, one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 20th century, whose relatives live in New Haven.

Kelly Wuzzardo, director of education and engagement at the Shubert, said it was her team’s goal to hire New Haven’s own jazz experts and members of the Monk family to play a free concert for the community.

“My job is about access. Most of what I plan is free to the community, so there are no barriers. We want to do more of that at the Shubert going forward as well,” Wuzzardo said.

The event also served as a teaser, with hopes that it would inspire people to attend the Alexander show coming up, Wuzzardo said. The Shubert team passed out coupons with discount codes for tickets throughout the event.

Anthony McDonald, the new executive director at the Shubert Theatre, said it was a goal to drum up some excitement for the Alexander show. ​“From having folks like Ella Fitzgerald back in the day, Louis Armstrong, to now continuing that legacy of amazing jazz musicians coming to our stage,” with Monty Alexander’s first performance at the Shubert, McDonald said.

Marcella Monk Flake, founder of Monk Youth Jazz, hosted the 1:30 p.m. concert and a youth workshop that took place the hour before, during which she taught K‑12 students about foundational jazz concepts, like improvisation and melody.

Trumpet player Randy Bost introduced the band: Dudley Flake on keys and music direction, Roy Alexander on percussion, Bob Turek on bass, Cedric Herbert on guitar and sound, Peter Hines on drums, and Cliff McClean on saxophone and flute.

Marcella introduced vocalists, most of whom were her immediate family members: Doron, Makeda, and Ashleigh, Marcella’s adult children with her husband, Dudley. She also introduced the Monk Youth Jazz students who performed: her great niece Nisaa Monk Williams, and Alijah Steed, the grandson of some of Marcella’s close friends.

Nisaa opened the show with a rendition of ​“A‑tisket, A‑tasket,” a nursery rhyme made famous by Ella Fitzgerald. Steed brought audience members, and Doron Monk Flake, to tears with his powerful performance of ​“A Change Is Gonna Come.” Listen to a clip below.

“This music is in good hands,” Doron said, wiping tears from his eyes and collecting himself to perform after Steed.

“Let these young people know that we appreciate them. We appreciate their gifts, and they will preserve this music and this legacy,” Marcella said over voracious applause for the two young students.

The other songs performed spanned jazz music variations over the decades, like ​“Flip Fantasia,” a 1993 jazz-rap song by British group US3, and ​“Satin Doll,” Duke Ellington’s 1958 hit.

Audience members of all ages stood up multiple times throughout the performance to dance and move along to the music. Little kids ran to the front while elders moved their hips to the beat. There was a palpable sense of joy throughout the room, often showed through enthusiastic cheers, laughter, and tears of joy.

“Our community and every community in the world is suffering because of Covid. There’s nothing like jazz music or gospel music to bring it back and help you come together,” said John Jessen, the city librarian, who turned out for the event.

Jessen praised Diane Brown, the award-winning Stetson branch manager, for her work collaborating with the Shubert to help put on events for the community. Brown said she grew up on jazz and was excited about this first live music performance at the library’s new location.

McDonald said part of the new vision for the theater is to increase events like this and provide for the community in ways beyond the traditional performances. ​“What else can we do? What else can we we bring? What kind of ideas can we generate? An event that we can then bring to the community itself,” which he emphasized has a rich cultural history with jazz.

“The Shubert Theatre isn’t sitting in some, for lack of a better phrase, ivory tower. We can show up, support the community, and provide opportunities for folks to experience world class events in ways that don’t have to cost them money,” he said. 

“We have to make sure that we’re honoring who’s amongst us, who’s in our community, and making sure that children are able to grow up in a community where they can see themselves on that stage,” McDonald said. ​“Everything that we do, it’s for the community at the end of the day.”