If you can't play the Blues you might as well hang it up.
To have a little recognition, that is very nice, you dig. It is good for the ego, for the psyche.
Jazz is an octopus. It will take whatever it can use and it will work with it.
When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it's composition.
Music is a reservoir... of sounds.
Thelonius Monk was not exactly 'the guy next door'.