Rhythm-A-Ning is a Thelonious Monk jazz staple based on Rhythm Changes in Bb. It was first recorded on May 15, 1957 for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk and released that year. The tune later appeared on Mulligan Meets Monk, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and Criss-Cross, and it showed up on numerous Monk live albums after 1958, starting with Thelonious in Action. The form is AABA, 32 bars, and the melody loosely follows the rhythm changes while Monk pushes the harmony with quirky rhythms and unexpected turns. The B section explores the whole tone scale, a concept Monk treats with both yin and yang variants, making improvisation around the cycle of fifths sound fresh and unpredictable. Notable features include a striking solo start that leaps from Bb to F#7 and his distinctive comping behind soloists like Charlie Rouse. Rhythm-A-Ning blends blues influence with advanced harmony, and it remains one of Monk’s most recognizable and influential pieces.
