Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser

Charlotte Zwerin's 1988 documentary is about the jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. It rests on footage shot in the sixties that went unused for a long time; in it Monk appears in rehearsals, in hotel rooms and on the road. The choice is to minimise commentary. There are few speaking guests and the performances are not cut; Monk's way of working, trying the same piece again and again and the instructions he gives his group are watched directly. The narrative touches on questions of mental health without offering a diagnosis; his family and fellow musicians speak. The material itself is the documentary's greatest strength; footage this close is rare in the history of jazz. Who it's for: those interested in jazz history and portraits of musicians. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a chronological biography; the film rests largely on the record of one period.