A composer by definition is "a person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation." When musicians try to take on the additional title of “composer” we know that it can get interesting, and not always in a good way. In a way it’s very similar to an actor or actress becoming a director; being they take their individual style and ramp it up into a full on production of their “vision”. Enter Thelonious Monk. Thelonious Monk started playing the piano at a very young age and his style was first influenced by the Harlem stride pianist; a different style of jazz pianist that relied more on improvising and emphasized different notes based on the longer range of movement from their hands (their hands played more notes further apart).