mecklenburg

After much-acclaim and sold-out performances, Charlotte�s Jazz Arts Initiative�s (JAI) monthly series�The Jazz Room @ The Stage Door Theater � is swinging through the summer on Friday, July 17th with pianist extraordinaire Ryan Hanseler playing the music of jazz icon Thelonious Monk. The Stage Door Theater is part of Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, at the corner of 5th and College in Uptown Charlotte.

Thelonious Sphere Monk is recognized as one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz. He was one of the architects of bebop and his impact as a composer and pianist has had a profound influence on every genre of music. His more than 70 compositions are classics that continue to inspire artists in all genres. During his lifetime, Monk received numerous awards and he continues to be honored posthumously including a Special Pulitzer Prize, and an archive of his music at The Smithsonian Institution.