Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander OJ CD (born 6 June 1944) is a Jamaican American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

jazz and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

rooted melodies. He was influenced by

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

, Erroll Garner,

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest Jazz piano, jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordin ...

Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones; July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. He was a NEA Jazz Ma ...

, Les McCann, and

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

. Alexander also sings and plays the melodica. He is known for his surprising musical twists, bright rhythmic sense, and intense dramatic musical climaxes. His recording career has covered many of the well-known American songbook standards, jazz standards, pop hits, and Jamaican songs from his original homeland. Alexander has resided in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

for many years and performs frequently throughout the world at jazz festivals and clubs.

Biography

Alexander was born on 6 June 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica. He discovered the piano when he was four years old and seemed to have a knack for picking melodies out by ear. His mother sent him to classical music lessons at the age of six and he became interested in

jazz piano Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instru ...

at the age of 14. Monty boarded at DeCarteret College in Mandeville, then continued his education and musical prowess at Jamaica College. He began playing in clubs, and on recording sessions by Clue J & His Blues Blasters, subbing for Aubrey Adams, whom he describes as his hero, when he was unable to play.Moskowitz, David V. (2006), ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , pp. 8–9.Barrow, Steve, & Dalton, Peter (2004), ''The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn'', Rough Guides, , pp. 24, 49. Two years later, Alexander directed a dance orchestra (Monty and the Cyclones) and played in the local clubs covering much of the 1960s early rock and pop dance hits. Performances at the Carib Theatre in Jamaica by

and

left a strong impression on the young pianist. Alexander and his family moved to

Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, in 1961, where he played in various nightclubs. One night Monty was brought to the attention of

and Frank's friend Jilly Rizzo. They were there to see the act in the next room, a Sinatra imitator. Somebody suggested they also check out the kid playing piano in the front room bar, "He's swinging the room pretty good" they said. Thus, Monty was invited to New York City in 1962 to become the house pianist for Jilly Rizzo's night club and restaurant simply called "Jilly's." In addition to performing with Frank Sinatra there, Alexander also met and became friends with bassist Ray Brown and vibist Milt Jackson. He also became friendly with

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

, both men sharing a love of watching boxing matches. In Los Angeles, in 1964, Alexander recorded his first album, ''Alexander the Great'', for Pacific Jazz, at the age of 20. The album was very energetic and upbeat, with the climax tune being "Blues for Jilly". He recorded with Milt Jackson in 1969, with Ernest Ranglin in 1974 and in Europe the same year with Ed Thigpen. Alexander toured regularly in Europe and recorded there, mostly with his classic trio for MPS Records. He also toured around 1976 with the steelpan player Othello Molineaux. In the mid-1970s, he formed a group consisting of John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums, creating a stir on the jazz-scene in Europe. Their most famous collaboration is '' Montreux Alexander'', recorded during the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 1976. A year later in 1977, Alexander recorded again with Milt Jackson on the LP ''Soul Fusion''. Jackson used Alexander's trio (with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, future big-band co-leaders) for the Pablo recorded LP which was later issued on CD through Original Jazz Classics. Much of the material is obscure (including Jackson's three originals), with

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

's " Isn't She Lovely" being the only jazz standard on the album. Alexander has also played with several singers, among them Ernestine Anderson and Mary Stallings, as well as with other important leaders (

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

, Benny Golson, Jimmy Griffin and

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

). In his successive trios, Alexander has played frequently with musicians associated with

: Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, Mads Vinding, Ed Thigpen and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. Alexander formed a reggae band in the 1990s, featuring all Jamaican musicians. He has released several reggae albums, including '' Yard Movement'' (1996), ''Stir It Up'' (1999, a collection of

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

songs), ''Monty Meets Sly & Robbie'' (2000), and ''Goin' Yard'' (2001). He collaborated again with Ranglin in 2004 on the album ''Rocksteady''.

Personal life

Alexander married the American jazz guitarist Emily Remler in 1981. They divorced in 1985.Nicholson, Stuart (1990), ''Jazz: The Modern Resurgence'', Simon & Schuster, , p. 89. Alexander lives in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

and is married to Italian jazz singer Caterina Zapponi.

Awards and honours

* Musgrave Medal, Institute of Jamaica, 2000 * Best Live Performance Album, Independent Music Awards, ''Harlem-Kingston Express'', 2012 * Grammy-nominated 2011 CD, ''Harlem-Kingston Express'' * 2014 Soul Train Award-nominated followup, ''Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: The River Rolls On'', both released on Motéma Records *2017 Alexander was conferred with the Order of Griffin-Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York. * In January 2023, Alexander was appointed a Member of the Order of Jamaica (OJ).

Discography

As leader

Compilations

As sideman

With Ernest Ranglin * ''Ranglypso'' (MPS, 1974) * ''Below the Bassline'' (Island, 1996) * ''Rocksteady'' (Telarc, 2004) * ''Order of Distinction'' (Milk River Music, 2009) With Milt Jackson * '' That's the Way It Is'' ( Impulse!, 1969) * '' Just the Way It Had to Be'' (Impulse!, 1969) * ''Soul Fusion'' (Pablo, 1977) * ''Montreux '77'' (Pablo, 1977) * ''A London Bridge'' (Pablo, 1982) * ''Mostly Duke'' (Pablo, 1982) * ''Memories of Thelonious Sphere Monk'' (Pablo, 1982) With Ray Brown * '' Live at the Concord Jazz Festival'' (Concord, 1979) * ''Summerwind'' (Jeton, 1981) 2LP * ''A Ray Brown 3'' (Concord, 1983) * ''Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, & Russell Malone'' (Telarc, 2002) * ''Walk On'' (Telarc, 2003) With

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

* '' A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band)'' (Columbia, 2008) With others * 1969 '' The Original Jam Sessions 1969'',

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

and

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...

* 1971 '' Smackwater Jack'',

* 1977 ''Dizzy Gillespie Montreux Jam'',

* 1979 ''Somewhere in My Lifetime'', Phyllis Hyman * 1980 ''Royal Blue'',

Marshal Royal Marshal Walton Royal Jr. (December 5, 1912 – May 8, 1995) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years. Early life and education Marshal Royal ...

* 1980 ''Never Make Your Move Too Soon'', Ernestine Anderson * 1982 ''Goal'', Dieter Goal * 1986 ''Go for Whatcha' Know'', Jimmy Smith * 1987 ''Spontaneous Combustion'', Barney Kessel * 1989 ''Chicken Scratch'', Lee "Scratch" Perry * 1990 ''Snowy Morning Blues'', Howard Alden * 1991 ''Unforgettable: With Love'',

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...

* 1994 '' That's Funky'', Benny Golson * 1994 ''Hi-Bop Ska!'',

The Skatalites The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone (song), Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Bus ...

* 1996 ''Landmarks'', Clifton Anderson * 1996 ''Manhattan Moods'', Mary Stallings * 1996 ''Verve Jazz Masters #59'',

Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans (), was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for playing the chromatic harmonica, as well as his guitar and wh ...

* 2000 ''One on One'', Clark Terry * 2000 ''That's Funky'', Benny Golson * 2001 ''Universal Lovesongs'', Caterina Zapponi * 2002 ''Kristian Jørgensen Meets Monty Alexander'', Kristian Jørgensen * 2003 ''Tribute to Charlie Parker'',

* 2004 ''With All My Heart'', Harvey Mason * 2005 ''In the Rhythm'', Suzanne Couch * 2006 ''Chuck Redd Remembers Barney Kessel: Happy All the Time'', Chuck Redd * 2010 ''Back in the Saddle Again'', Bucky Pizzarelli * 2010 ''You Are There: Duets'', Hilary Kole * 2011 ''Kaiso'', Etienne Charles * 2011 ''Man With the Hat'', Grace Kelly/ Phil Woods

Filmography

* ''Al Di Meola, Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty – Live at Montreux'' (1994) * ''New Morning – The Paris Concert'' (2008)

References

External links

Official website

Images of Monty Alexander
digitized photographs from th
James Arkatov Collection
at UCLA Library Special Collections.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Monty 1944 births 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Black & Blue Records artists Chesky Records artists Jamaican jazz pianists Living people Melodica players Members of the Order of Jamaica Motéma Music artists MPS Records artists Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Pausa Records artists Recipients of the Musgrave Medal Commanders of the Order of Distinction