Thelonious Monk Beer Story at RVG's

I spent the afternoon today at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.  It's amazing to be in the room where so many incredible musicians recorded so many incredible albums.  John Coltrane's Ballads, and A Love Supreme,  Joe Henderson's Page One, Kenny Durham's Una Mas, and so many more.

Then I took a look at the 7-foot Steinway in the big room, which was the piano that Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, and essentially every other important pianists played on.  It is still in pristine condition, but it holds so much history and so many amazing musical moments.  

Being in that room made me think of the story that Charli Persip told about being at a recording session of Miles Davis' with Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Percy Heath, and Kenny "Klook" Clark, where Monk spills a beer in the middle of a tune.