Eccentric pianist and composer Thelonious Monk {1917-1982} explored and challenged western jazz traditions with his use of unorthodox techniques and dissonant melodies. Monk was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He studied piano with a teacher during his childhood and moved to New York City as a teenager. Although Monk earned critical acclaim before receiving public recognition, he is now considered one of the founders of modern jazz. He is best known for "'Round Midnight," a song he recorded for Blue Note Records in 1947.