I read an article years ago about John Coltrane, playing with Thelonious Monk for six months at the 5 Spot in NYC, I believe in 1957. He said sometimes playing with Monk made him feel like he was falling down an elevator shaft. Playing with Monk for all that time shaped his musical thinking going forward. I saw a documentary about Monk, and I believe the bass player asked him what key the song was in, and he responded, "Play it in the key of T for all I care." (I think he said "T," it may have been another non-musical letter.)