Jason Moran Reimagines Thelonious Monk

Imagine this: Thelonius Monk playing at Town Hall – a prestigious New York music venue– in 1959.

Jason Moran. (Braithwaite & Katz Communications)

It was the first time Monk played with an orchestra. The master pianist was already a giant in the jazz world, but the Town Hall moment put Monk on the map for mainstream audiences. It was a landmark in music history.

A half century later, a young musician is reimagining the Town Hall concert. Jason Moran uses music, pictures and archival audio, in a special performance that’s part musical reinterpretation and part historical exploration. It’s called “In My Mind.”

Here’s the thing: Moran is one of the most talented pianists at work right now. He’s a MacArthur “genius” grant winner, jazz adviser to the Kennedy Center in Washington, and for the past couple of years, he’s been teaching at New England Conservatory. Moran’s also a devotee of Monk. His creativity and talent are so reminiscent of Monk, that some critics have called Moran a Thelonius for the 21st century.

Guest:

• Jason Moran, pianist

More:

• Jason Moran performs “In My Mind” at NEC’s Jordan Hall on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m.
• From the Radio Boston Archives:  “A 21st Century Thelonious Monk in Boston”