Thu, Nov 5, 8:00 PM CST
Monty Alexander Trio
Jazz Showcase
806 S Plymouth Ct, Chicago, IL 60605
Retained listing — check details
Nearly
sixty years after he moved to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica, his hometown
,
Grammy© nominated
pianist Monty Alexander is an American classic, touring the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. A perennial favorite at Jazz festivals and venues worldwide and at the
Montreux Jazz Festival
where he has appeared 23 times
since 1976
, his spirited conception is one informed by the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition, as Alexander accurately states, “to build up the heat and kick up a storm.” In the course of any given performance, Alexander applies those aesthetics to a repertoire spanning a broad range of jazz and Jamaican musical expressions—the American songbook and the blues, gospel and bebop, calypso and reggae. Documented on
more than 75 recordings
and cited as the
fifth greatest jazz pianist ever in The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time
(Hal Leonard Publishing), the Jamaican government designated Alexander
Commander
in the Order of Distinction in 2000 and conferred on him the national honor of the
Order of Jamaica
in 2022 for "
Sterling Contributions to the Promotions of Jamaican Music and the Jazz Genre Interpretations Globally
". In 2018 the University of The West Indies bestowed him with an
honorary doctorate (DLitt)
in recognition of his accomplishments.
Monty's latest album (released August 19, 2022) is titled Love Notes and is his first recording featuring his vocals. The release of “Love Notes” will be accompanied by tour dates worldwide.
Also in the works is “
The Monty Alexander Movie
,” a documentary on Monty’s life and music. Directed by
Academy Award© winning cinematographer Jefferson Miller
, and veteran filmmaker Arthur Gorson, the project is currently in production in Jamaica, the U.S. and Europe.