The great jazz pianist Thelonious Monk wasn't generally know as an arts scholar and adviser on the nature of creativity.

Nonetheless, as the following notebook entries show (notes sent to me by the wonderful jazz singer Kitty Margolis), Monk was such a person. The notes were written down by the soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy (no slouch himself), who was a big fan of Monk and played with him many times. Much of what Monk said to Lacy relates to the writing experience too, and is good counsel for the new year.