JOEY ALEXANDER - My Favourite Things
Motema Music 233988
Joey Alexander (pno) Larry Grenadier (bs) Ulysses Owens jnr (drs)
With Russell Hall (bs) Sammy Miller (drs) tks 5,7,8 Alphonso Horne (tpt) tk 8
Recorded 25th/26th October 2014
Joey Alexander is a child prodigy of the jazz piano and was born in Denpasar, Indonesia on 25th June 2003.
At the time of this recording he was eleven years old.
It is sometimes difficult to be objective about artists so very young ,but let,s cut to the chase right away and say that this recording is magnificent from start to finish.After being mentored by Herbie Hancock from the age of eight and winning the best musician poll at Odessa Masters Jazz Festival aged nine Joey decided "To dedicate the rest of my childhood to Jazz". Part of the process was to move with his family to New York where within weeks he was invited by Wynton Marsalis to perform at The Lincoln Centre. Sometimes it takes a lifetime for a musician to become an overnight sensation, in Joey Alexander's case he has done it almost in one with his concert performances and the release of his first album.
The album is produced the Harlem based Grammy award winning producer Jason Olaine . There are three tracks with the regular trio, two solo pieces, a duet with bass plus three offerings with local New York musicians. Joey has been able to go straight to the top shelf with the selection of his regular collaborators. Between them Larry Grenadier and Ulysses Owens have played and recorded regularly with the likes of Brad Mehldau, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Christian McBride and Kurt Elling.
Opening the set is a wonderful solo introduction to Coltrane's Giant Steps which leads to a complete re-working of the tune with numerous tempo changes. From there the standard has been set and never falters. Lush Life is full of tension and release and It Might As Well Be Spring has never received such a muscular approach. The Two solo performances on Round Midnight and Over The Rainbow give the feeling that you are listening to a seasoned virtuoso.
An album of this magnitude does not realy need a highlight but for me the piano and bass coversations on the title track just about top things off. All the arrangements here are by the leader including the self penned Ma Blues where he pays homage to the stride masters of the past whilst holding the contemporary feel.
Standards drop only marginally with the introduction of the three more localised musicians, although I see no valid reason why the record company did not complete the album with the first call trio with the option of more solo tracks and piano-bass duets.
However the future looks extremely bright for this young man. Who knows where his phenominal talent will take him ?
As for the recording, a sure candidate for Album Of The Year.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Motema Music 233988
Joey Alexander (pno) Larry Grenadier (bs) Ulysses Owens jnr (drs)
With Russell Hall (bs) Sammy Miller (drs) tks 5,7,8 Alphonso Horne (tpt) tk 8
Recorded 25th/26th October 2014
Joey Alexander is a child prodigy of the jazz piano and was born in Denpasar, Indonesia on 25th June 2003.
At the time of this recording he was eleven years old.
It is sometimes difficult to be objective about artists so very young ,but let,s cut to the chase right away and say that this recording is magnificent from start to finish.After being mentored by Herbie Hancock from the age of eight and winning the best musician poll at Odessa Masters Jazz Festival aged nine Joey decided "To dedicate the rest of my childhood to Jazz". Part of the process was to move with his family to New York where within weeks he was invited by Wynton Marsalis to perform at The Lincoln Centre. Sometimes it takes a lifetime for a musician to become an overnight sensation, in Joey Alexander's case he has done it almost in one with his concert performances and the release of his first album.
The album is produced the Harlem based Grammy award winning producer Jason Olaine . There are three tracks with the regular trio, two solo pieces, a duet with bass plus three offerings with local New York musicians. Joey has been able to go straight to the top shelf with the selection of his regular collaborators. Between them Larry Grenadier and Ulysses Owens have played and recorded regularly with the likes of Brad Mehldau, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Christian McBride and Kurt Elling.
Opening the set is a wonderful solo introduction to Coltrane's Giant Steps which leads to a complete re-working of the tune with numerous tempo changes. From there the standard has been set and never falters. Lush Life is full of tension and release and It Might As Well Be Spring has never received such a muscular approach. The Two solo performances on Round Midnight and Over The Rainbow give the feeling that you are listening to a seasoned virtuoso.
An album of this magnitude does not realy need a highlight but for me the piano and bass coversations on the title track just about top things off. All the arrangements here are by the leader including the self penned Ma Blues where he pays homage to the stride masters of the past whilst holding the contemporary feel.
Standards drop only marginally with the introduction of the three more localised musicians, although I see no valid reason why the record company did not complete the album with the first call trio with the option of more solo tracks and piano-bass duets.
However the future looks extremely bright for this young man. Who knows where his phenominal talent will take him ?
As for the recording, a sure candidate for Album Of The Year.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
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