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Augusto Monk
At the age of 24, he went to Berklee College of Music in Boston where he graduated in Composition Magna Cum Laude. He studied the piano at The Boston Conservatory, and after working as an orchestra manager and a freelance keyboard player he moved to London-UK to gain his Master’s Degree in Composition for Films; he also worked as a ballet pianist and piano teacher. Later on, he gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Music Education, and after several frustrating experiences in the classroom, he started a PhD in “Pansonic Co-ordination”, i.e: playing several instruments at the same time as a one-man band.
He started his career as a composer in 2000, and from the very beginning, Monk became aware of the difficulty of engaging an audience in new works. Several attempts followed in order to overcome this issue. Eventually, the idea of including visuals, groove-based music and narrations materialized in his first illustrated comic audio book “Dath Awaiting Moon”. Thirteen other works followed as well as changes and experiments in visual styles, music genres and instrumentation.
The way it stands today: a man who tells a story as accompanies himself on drums, keyboards and bass pedal-board as we see projected drawings that illustrate the plot.
His music has been influenced by Frank Zappa, Anni Di Franco, James Brown, Hindemith, Varese and Stravinsky; and his stories, by many of the mishaps and hardships known to every musician or working man for that matter.
Monk’s aim is to connect with the audience through sharing experiences that listeners can relate to; through making new music accesible to the audience by adding stories, a plot and visuals in which humor plays a major role. “In a nutshell, it’s all about the people”.
Gear
Pansonic set-up of: Korg N5 keys; Roland PK-5 bass pedal-board; Tama drums; Honner melodica.
Tags
Monk: A One-Man Band
Source:
All About Jazz
Monk's latest work Stories & Grooves DVD is now available.
Monk tells stories about music and musicians and urban life, as he accompanies himself playing drums, keys, bass pedal-board, melodica and vocals. You have to see it to believe it.
The stories are accompanied by some comic drawings that illustrate the stories. The Stories & Grooves DVD was possible thanks to the inspiration of Kenwood Dennard, the assistance and support of Liebling and the professional expertise of Daniel Goldberg-Camera, Samuel ...
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He sounds like Tom Waits at his most sinister ("What's He Building?") and dissolute. (...) but then the man is playing piano at the same time - and, during THE BAND, the drums as well on some lovely, laid-back jazz. And yeah, he's good - real good . Page 45-Sept. ‘06
(...) this was a really enjoyable, different approach to comic-book style storytelling. Zine World- Feb. ‘07
Primary Instrument
Drums
Willing to teach
Intermediate to advanced
Clinic/Workshop Information
Demonstration on pansonic co-ordination i.e: playing several instruments at the same time. Covers: 1)how to develop the dexterity to do it. 2)How it can be applied to different mediums. 3)Examples of application in different music contexts.
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson