Thelonious Monk was born on Oct. 10, 1917, & Abdullah Ibrahim was born on Oct. 9, 1934. Monk was a major influence on Ibrahim, esp. the use of space in his playing. On 1983's 'African Dawn,' Ibrahim pays tribute to Monk on 4 songs: Round Midnight; Just You, Just Me; Blue Monk; & For Monk

"What I was doing was just the way I was thinking. I wasn't thinking about trying to change the course of jazz. I was just trying to play something that sounded good." Happy Birthday Thelonious Monk born October 10, 1917

"Don’t just teach your children to read... Teach them to question everything that they read, everything they hear. Children should be taught to question authority." George Carlin

Thelonious Sphere Monk was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on this day in 1917 📸 K. Abe/Shinko Music/Getty Images

"It is more difficult to organize a peace than to win a war; but the fruits of victory will be lost if the peace is not organized." Aristotle

"All things come through grace, there's nothing you can do about it. And when you realize that whatever comes to you, comes through grace, then you become tolerant. When we do not understand grace, that is the reason we become intolerant" - Abdullah Ibrahim

"I am sure that it is a privilege and it is a gift to be alive and try to offer something to culture. We don't know how long we will have this opportunity and so I am enjoying it. It is exciting."

"It is such a pleasure to think of new ways to do things and to express yourself. That is the beauty that you feel and that you see through observation of nature for example. So you try to express some type of beauty through your music." Happy Birthday Yusef Lateef born October 9, 1920

"All things come through grace, there's nothing you can do about it. And when you realise that whatever comes to you comes through grace, then you become tolerant. When we do not understand grace, that is the reason we become intolerant." Happy Birthday Abdullah Ibrahim born 9 October 1934

Rockin October Update!!