Organ Monk Trio
Arthur's Tavern57 Grove Street, New York 10014
Organ Monk Trio brings Gregory Lewis’s organ-led reading of Thelonious Monk’s music to Arthur’s Tavern. The billed trio centers on Lewis’s Hammond approach to Monk’s compositions, a project shaped by his particular interest in translating the pianist-composer’s idiosyncratic writing to the organ. No other trio members are listed for this date.
Lewis is a New York City musician with deep ties to the city’s jazz and blues scenes. He grew up in Long Island City during the soul and funk era, and first encountered Monk’s work through his father’s record collection. As a teenager, Lewis was already playing professionally around New York; while studying jazz at The New School, mentor Gil Coggins sent him to substitute on a job where the available instrument was a Hammond B3, a turning point in his path as an organist. Hearing Larry Young play “Monk’s Dream” clarified the direction: Lewis would focus on Monk interpretations for organ. Over a long performing career, he has led Organ Monk in trio, quartet, and quintet formats.
Arthur's Tavern is a basement club in the West Village where jazz, Latin, and blues are played with deep roots and modern energy. The stage is small, the room intimate, and the audience sits close to the musicians, often with a few people standing near the back. Shows start around 5 PM and go late, with some sets extending into the early hours. The club has a history of hosting top-tier performers since 2001, including regular appearances by Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group. It's a place where music is the center, and conversation flows naturally between the audience and the performers.