Musicians who have performed or recorded with

Thelonious Sphere Monk (Alphabetically)


Pepper Adams ( Baritone )
Ray Abrams (Tenor)
*Nat Adderly (cornet)
Gene Allen (clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone)
*Adolphus Alsbrook (bass)
Wesley Anderson (trumpet)
William "Cat" Anderson (trumpet)
*Clarence Becton (drums)
Aaron Bell (bass)
Bill Berry (trumpet)
Eddie Bert ( Trombone )
Denzil Best ( Drums )
Big Black (congas)
Lou Blackburn ( Trombone )
*Ed Blackwell (drums)
Art Blakey ( Drums )
*Walter Bolden (drums)
Jimmy Bond (bass)
*Walter Booker (bass)
Nelson Boyd ( Bass)
Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone )
John Brown (alto)
Lawrence Brown (trombone)
Ray Brown ( Bass )
Dave Brubeck ( Piano )
Bobby Bryant ( Trumpet )
Dave Burns (trumpet)
Roy Burrows (trumpet)
*Frank Butler (drums)
Don Byas ( Tenor )
Billy Byers ( Trombone )
Donald Byrd ( Trumpet )
Wilbur Campbell (drums)
Conte Candoli ( Trumpet )
Harry Carney (baritone)
Ron Carter (bass)
Paul Chambers ( Bass )
*Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (drums)
Charlie Christian ( Guitar )
Gene Cipriano (alto)
Kenny Clarke ( Drums )
Jimmy Cleveland ( Trombone )
Buddy Collette ( Reeds )
John Coltrane ( Tenor )
Leon Comegys (trombone)
Charles "Chuck" Connors (trombone)
George "Buster" Cooper (trombone)
Ray Copeland ( Trumpet )
Vic Coulsen (trumpet)
Bob Cranshaw (bass)

Tadd Dameron (arr.)
Miles Davis ( Trumpet )
Sammy Davis (tenor)
*Alan Dawson (drums)
Talib Dawud (trombone)
James "Spanky" DeBrest ( Bass )
Kenny Dennis (drums)
Lou Donaldson (alto )
Kenny Dorham ( Trumpet )
Freddie Douglas (alto)
Al Dreares (drums)
Frankie Dunlop ( Drums )
Roy Eldridge ( Trumpet )
Art Farmer (trumpet)
Nick Fenton ( Bass )
Herbie Fields ( Tenor )
Frank Foster ( Tenor )
Curtis Fuller (trombone)
Walter Gil Fuller (arr.)
Larry Gales ( Bass )
*Rafael Garrett (bass)
*Victor Gaskin (bass)
Dizzy Gillespie ( Trumpet )
Paul Gonsalves (tenor)
Joe Gordon ( Trumpet )
*Bennie Green (trombone)
Charles Greenlee (trombone)
Johnny Griffin ( Tenor )
Henry Grimes (bass)
Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes (guitar)
Duke Groner (vocal)
Gigi Gryce ( Alto )
John Guerin ( Percussion )
Joe Guy ( Trumpet/vocal )
Kenny "Pancho" Hagood ( Vocal )
Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet/tenor)
Bill Hardman ( Trumpet )
Beaver Harris (drums)
Benny Harris (trumpet)
Coleman Hawkins ( Tenor )
Roy Haynes ( Drums )
Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums)
Percy Heath ( Bass )
Jon Hendricks ( Vocal )
Ernie Henry ( Alto )
Billy Higgins ( Drums)
Freddie Hill ( Trumpet )
Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet)
Johnny Hodges (alto)
Dave Holland (bass)
Gene Hull (alto)
Helen Humes ( Vocal )
Nate "Lloyd" Hygelund ( Bass )
Jean-Marie Ingrand (bass)
Frank Isola (drums)
Milt Jackson ( Vibes )
*Oliver Jackson (drums)
Viola Jefferson (vocals)
Paul Jeffrey ( Tenor )
Howard Johnson (alto)
J J Johnson ( Trombone )
Osie Johnson (drums)
Philly Joe Jones ( Drums )
Sam Jones ( Bass )
Thad Jones ( Cornet )
Willie Jones ( Drums )
*Eddie Kahn (bass)
Connie Kay ( Drums )
*Billy Kaye (drums)
Steve Lacy ( Soprano )
*Scott LaFaro (bass)
Harold Land ( Tenor )
*James Leary (bass)
*Herbie Lewis (bass)
*Lowell Lewis (trumpet)
Warren Luckey (tenor)
John Lynch (trumpet)
Teo Macero (tenor)
Jay McAllister ( Tuba )
Lenny McBrowne ( Drums )
Ron McClure (bass)
Gary McFarland (arr.)
Al McKibbon ( Bass)
Ahmed Abdul Malik ( Bass )
Shelly Manne ( Drums )
Gary Mapp ( Bass )
Stu Martin (drums)
*Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto (tenor)
Michael Mattos (bass)
"Taps" Miller (drums)
Charles Mingus (bass)
"Red" Mitchell (bass)
Toshiyuki Miyama (clarinet)
*Hank Mobley (tenor)
T. S. Monk, Jr. (drums)
James Moody (alto/tenor)
Alton "Slim" Moore (trombone)
*Don Moore (bass)
Melvin Moore (trumpet)
Sol Moore (bass)
Joe Morello (drums)
*George Morrow (bass)
*Paul Motian (drums)
Gerry Mulligan ( Baritone )
Ray Nance (trumpet)
Oliver Nelson (arr.)
Jerry Newman (trombone)
Robert Northern ( French Horn )
John Ore ( Bass )
Ray Orr (trumpet)
Hall Overton (arr.)
Oran "Hot Lips" Page ( Trumpet )
Robert Paige ( Bass )
Charlie Parker ( Alto )
Leo Parker ( Tenor )
Frankie Passions ( Vocal )
Laurdine "Pat" Patrick (tenor)
Oscar Pettiford ( Bass )
Tommy Potter ( Bass )

Purnell, Keg [Drums]
*Ike Quebec (tenor)
Gene Ramey ( Bass )
Hans Rettenbacher (bass)
Buddy Rich ( Drums )
Larry Ridley ( Bass )
Ben Riley ( Drums )
Max Roach ( Drums )
Howard Roberts ( Guitar )
Ed Robinson ( Bass )
Sonny Rollins ( Tenor )
Charlie Rouse ( Tenor )
Curly Russell ( Bass )
Pee Wee Russell ( Clarinet )
Kermit "Scotty" Scott (tenor)
Tom Scott (tenor)
Al Sears ( Tenor )
Sahib Shihab ( Alto )
Horace Silver ( Piano )
John Simmons ( Bass )
Zoot Sims ( Tenor )
Ernie Small ( Baritone)
Billy Smith (Tenor )
*Buster Smith (drums)
*Jerry Smith (drums)
*Pat "Putter" Smith (bass)
*W.O. Smith (bass)
Sonny Stitt ( Alto & Tenor )
Billy Strayhorn (arr.)
Idrees Sulieman ( Trumpet )
Steve Swallow (bass)
George "Flip" Taitt ( Trumpet )
Art Taylor ( Drums )
*Eugene Taylor (bass)
Clark Terry ( Trumpet & Flugelhorn )
Eli "Lucky" Thompson ( Tenor )
Nick Travis ( Trumpet )
Joe Turner (piano/vocal)
Jerry Valentine (arr.)
Jean-Louis Viale (drums)
Wilbur Ware ( Bass )
Selwyn Warner (bass)
Edward "Butch" Warren ( Bass )
Julius Watkins ( French Horn )
Ernie Watts ( Alto )
Danny Quebec West ( Alto )
Harold "Doc" West (drums)
Barney Wilen (tenor)
*Leroy Williams (drums)
Rudy Williams (alto)
Elbert "Skippy" Williams (tenor/bandleader)
Rossiere "Shadow" Wilson ( Drums )
Mike Wimberley ( Trombone )
Kai Winding ( Trombone )
Phil Woods ( Alto & Clarinet )
Sam Woodyard (drums)
Austin "Paris" Wright ( Drums )
Charles "Specs" Wright (drums)
Elmon Wright (trumpet)
Eugene Wright ( Bass )
Jimmy Wright (trumpet)

*Indicates musicians who performed but did not record with Monk.


Musicians who have performed or recorded with

Thelonious Sphere Monk (by Instrument)

PIANO AND VIBES

Dave Brubeck
Milt Jackson
Horace Silver
Joe Turner

ALTO SAXOPHONES

John Brown
Gene Cipriano
Buddy Collette
Lou Donaldson
Freddie Douglas
Gigi Gryce
Ernie Henry
Johnny Hodges
Gene Hull
Howard Johnson
James Moody
Charlie Parker
Sahib Shihab
Sonny Stitt
Ernie Watts
Danny Quebec West
Rudy Williams
Phil Woods


TENOR SAXOPHONE

Ray Abrams
Don Byas
Buddy Collette
John Coltrane
Sammy Davis
Herbie Fields
Frank Foster
Paul Gonsalves
Johnny Griffin
Jimmy Hamilton
Coleman Hawkins
Paul Jeffrey
Harold Land
Warren Luckey
Teo Macero
*Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto
James Moody
*Hank Mobley
Leo Parker
Laurdine "Pat" Patrick
*Ike Quebec
Sonny Rollins
Charlie Rouse
Kermit "Scotty" Scott
Tom Scott
Al Sears
Zoot Sims
Billy Smith
Sonny Stitt
Eli "Lucky" Thompson
Barney Wilen
Elbert "Skippy" Williams (bandleader)


BARITONE SAXOPHONE

Pepper Adams
Gene Allen
Harry Carney
Gerry Mulligan
Ernie Small


SOPRANO SAXOPHONE

Steve Lacy


CLARINET

Gene Allen (clarinet, bass clarinet)
Jimmy Hamilton
Toshiyuki Miyama
Pee Wee Russell
Phil Woods

TRUMPET AND CORNET

*Nat Adderly (cornet)
Wesley Anderson
William "Cat" Anderson
Bill Berry
Bobby Bryant
Dave Burns
Roy Burrows
Donald Byrd
Conte Candoli
Ray Copeland
Vic Coulsen
Miles Davis
Kenny Dorham
Roy Eldridge
Art Farmer
Dizzy Gillespie
Joe Gordon
Joe Guy
Bill Hardman
Benny Harris
Freddie Hill
Lonnie Hillyer
Thad Jones (cornet )
*Lowell Lewis
John Lynch
Melvin Moore
Ray Nance
Ray Orr
Oran "Hot Lips" Page
Idrees Sulieman
George "Flip" Taitt
Clark Terry ( Trumpet & Flugelhorn )
Nick Travis
Elmon Wright
Jimmy Wright


TROMBONE

Eddie Bert
Lou Blackburn
Bob Brookmeyer
Lawrence Brown
Billy Byers
Jimmy Cleveland
Leon Comegys
Charles "Chuck" Connors
George "Buster" Cooper
Talib Dawud
Curtis Fuller
*Bennie Green
Charles Greenlee
J J Johnson
Alton "Slim" Moore
Jerry Newman
Mike Wimberley
Kai Winding

TUBA, FRENCH HORN AND MISC. BRASS

David Amram [French Horn]
Jay McAllister (Tuba)
Robert Northern (French Horn)
Julius Watkins (French Horn)

GUITAR

Charlie Christian
Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes (guitar)
Howard Roberts


BASS

*Adolphus Alsbrook
Aaron Bell
Jimmy Bond
*Walter Booker
Nelson Boyd
Ray Brown
Ron Carter
Paul Chambers
Bob Cranshaw
James "Spanky" DeBrest
Nick Fenton
Larry Gales
*Rafael Garret
*Victor Gaskin
Henry Grimes
Percy Heath
Dave Holland
Nate "Lloyd" Hygelund
Jean-Marie Ingrand
Sam Jones
*Eddie Kahn
*Scott LaFaro
*James Leary
*Herbie Lewis
Ron McClure
Al McKibbon
Ahmed Abdul Malik
Gary Mapp
Michael Mattos
Charles Mingus
"Red" Mitchell
*Don Moore
Sol Moore
*George Morrow
John Ore
Robert Paige
Oscar Pettiford
Tommy Potter
Gene Ramey
Hans Rettenbacher
Larry Ridley
Ed Robinson
Curly Russell
John Simmons
*Pat "Putter" Smith
*W.O. Smith
Steve Swallow
*Eugene Taylor
Wilbur Ware
Selwyn Warner
Edward "Butch" Warren
Eugene Wright


DRUMS/PERCUSSION

*Clarence Becton
Denzil Best
Big Black (congas)
*Ed Blackwell
Art Blakey
*Walter Bolden
*Frank Butler
Wilbur Campbell
*Leon "Ndugu" Chancler
Kenny Clarke
*Alan Dawson
Kenny Dennis
Al Dreares
Frankie Dunlop
John Guerin (percussion)
Beaver Harris
Roy Haynes
Albert "Tootie" Heath
Billy Higgins
Frank Isola
*Oliver Jackson
Osie Johnson
Philly Joe Jones
Willie Jones
Connie Kay
*Billy Kaye
Lenny McBrowne
Shelly Manne
Stu Martin
"Taps" Miller
T. S. Monk, Jr.
Joe Morello
*Paul Motian
Buddy Rich
Ben Riley
Max Roach
*Buster Smith
*Jerry Smith
Art Taylor
Jean-Louis Viale
Harold "Doc" West
*Leroy Williams
Rossiere "Shadow" Wilson
Sam Woodyard
Austin "Paris" Wright
Charles "Specs" Wright


VOCALISTS

Duke Groner
Joe Guy
Kenny "Pancho" Hagood
Jon Hendricks
Helen Humes
Viola Jefferson
Frankie Passions
Joe Turner


ARRANGERS

Tadd Dameron
Walter Gil Fuller
Gary McFarland
Oliver Nelson
Hall Overton
Billy Strayhorn
Jerry Valentine

*Indicates musicians who performed but did not record with Monk.

GO TO TOP OF PAGE

HOME