Monty Alexander – Piano
Hassan Shakur – Bass
Mark Taylor – Drums
Robert Thomas Jnr. – Hand Drums &
Drums
This album was recorded
live at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC,
in May of last year. Born in Jamaica Monty
Alexander is now right at the forefront
of jazz piano players world wide, a visit
to any of Monty’s live performances is
guaranteed to lift the soul, his playing
is the essence of jazz. He has absorbed
all that has gone before and evolved a
style that is uniquely his own. British
drummer Mark Taylor has joined Martin
Drew of Oscar Peterson Trio fame in showing
the world that the UK can now produce
world class jazz percussionists.
The jazz trio has been
a favourite since the days when Nat ‘King’Cole
was known mainly as a jazz pianist, long
before his conversion to vocal superstar
and Monty’s trio is a worthy successor
to that earlier super group.
Nat Adderley’s ‘The Work
Song’ gets the album off to a good start
with Monty and bassist Hassan Shakur dueting
on the theme statement. The playing is
in fact pure joy as Monty and the trio
take us through some fine improvisations
on this theme, it is obvious that this
man has listened to Peterson, Garner,
Shearing and all those great piano stylists
that have gone before. There is no intention
to copy however and what you hear is pure
Monty Alexander, very well supported by
his world class bassist and drummers.
Slappin’ is an Alexander
original, a ‘down home’ original blues
composition which highlights the superb
drumming of Mark Taylor. The whole track
is a superb demonstration of what a great
jazz vehicle the 12 bar blues is.
Monty is known to be
a superb ballad player and My Mother’s
Eyes shows us just how good he is, it
is an old song, c1929, but it is nice
to hear it again played so well.
Track 4 starts with percussionist
Robert Thomas Jnr. Leading the way into
this calypso which was written by trumpeter
Blue Mitchell. It gives Monty the opportunity
to bring his Caribbean influences into
play, which adds yet another dimension
to the performance. (How I wish I’d been
at the Iridium when this was recorded!)
The River is another
of Monty’s own compositions; the title
is apparently related to his faith in
God. A quiet thoughtful piece making a
contrast with the previous track. Runnin’
Away was composed Sylvester Stewart, again
it provides an interesting contrast to
that which has gone before, it has superb
passage of solo piano allowing Monty to
continue to demonstrate his superb technique.
Little Darlin’, Neal
Hefti’s composition, has been providing
a great jazz compositions for groups since
it’s original performance by the Basie
Band, the first soloist on this track
is Hassan Shakur on bass he has a great
sound and a terrific ear.
The programme is completed
by two more of Monty’s compositions, the
Latin Mount Zanda that has the calypso
sound and That’s the Way It Is which has
a blues feel.
Whichever track you choose,
you cannot fail to notice that Monty builds
the excitement throughout, which probably
accounts for his huge appeal to jazz audiences.
This is a record for every serious collector,
not to be missed.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
TELARC JAZZ CD-83610
