Gary Wittner

Gary Wittner's introduction to jazz arrived through the Herb Ellis/Joe Pass recording Seven Come Eleven. The decisive influence on the course of his professional life, however, proved to be Thelonious Monk's version of "Monk's Blues." Since that encounter, a substantial share of his work in jazz has been devoted to advancing Monk's compositions via concerts, lectures, and teaching, positioning him among the nation's foremost authorities on the pianist.

His earliest all-Monk concert took place in Colorado in 1982. Joined onstage by Clark Terry, he presented a full Monk program at the 1994 International Association of Jazz Educators Convention. Wittner later brought the same mission to Europe, appearing at USA Days in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1989 and at the 1994 Leeds International Music Festival in England.

In pursuit of this goal he has performed alongside Richard Davis, Eddie Gomez, and Reggie Workman. Roadway, Wittner's debut album for the Invisible Music label, appeared in 1999 and contains both Monk material and original pieces by Wittner himself. Howard Johnson's playing on tuba and contrabass clarinet adds a distinctive dimension that renders the session especially memorable. Wittner has also compiled the internationally published transcription volume Thelonious Monk for Guitar. He continues to promote Monk's music and jazz at large through solo appearances at clubs and festivals as well as lectures along the East Coast, in Canada, and throughout Europe.