CaribPR Wire

Legendary Jamaican Jazz Musician Monty Alexander.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 19, 2014: In what has now become a holiday tradition at Washington, D.C.’s most jazz club, Grammy and Soul Train-nominated Jamaican jazz musician, Monty Alexander, will return to Blues Alley to ring out the old year and ring in the new.

Alexander returns to the famous jazz club at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., for the third consecutive year, with a jazz performance that is certain to leave his audience yearning for more.

The legendary Caribbean Piano-man will be presenting his “Uplift” show from December 26^th to the 29^th. On December 30^th and New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31^st, he will be joined by his band “Harlem Kingston Express” to add some Caribbean flavor to the shows.

“If you are in the D.C. area you will want to make your New Year’s Eve date night at Blues Alley,” Alexander commented. “It’s going to be a jazz party that will undoubtedly leave you dancing and uplifted and ready for 2015, so ensure you get your tickets early.”

For reservations log on here or to http://bluesalley.com/events.cfm.

The Full Show Schedule Is As Follows:

Friday – 12/26 – 8 and 10 p.m.

Saturday – 12/27 – 8 and 10 p.m.

Sunday – 12/28 – 8 and 10 p.m.

Monday – 12/29 – 8 and 10 p.m.

Tuesday – 12/30 – 8 and 10 p.m.

Wednesday – 12/31 – 6:30 and 10:00 p.m.

In a career spanning five decades, Alexander has built a reputation exploring the worlds of American jazz, popular song and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression.

With 70 recordings under his belt, he has performed with renowned artists including Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Natalie Cole and Tony Bennett among numerous others.

In 2012, ‘Harlem Kingston Express: Live!,’ was singled out by both the recording industry and fans and received a Grammy nomination. In 2014 ‘Harlem Kingston Express Vol. 2’ was nominated for a Soul Train award.

Alexander maintains a rigorous touring schedule worldwide, from jazz clubs to concert halls and playing at Jazz Festivals.

For more on the Caribbean’s greatest jazz pianist and his music visit him on YouTube or at montyalexander.com. You can also like him on Facebook at facebook.com/officialmontyalexander or keep up to date on his performance on Twitter at @montyHKE.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Felicia Persaud

Hard Beat Communications

718-476-3616 (phone)

[email protected](email)

Jazz Great Monty Alexander.

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Dec. 23, 2013:  On the heels of his London Jazz Festival performance, Grammy-nominated international jazz pianist, the legendary Jamaican-born Monty Alexander, will catch a good case of the “blues” beginning next week and lasting into January 2014.

Alexander, who is gearing up for the release of his “Harlem Kingston Express 2,” next year, will begin the “blue-bration” with his annual holiday performance at the legendary Blues Alley in Washington, D.C., from December 27th through the 31st.

Blues Alley has earned rave reviews globally for showcasing internationally renowned concert hall artists in a small intimate setting and for the past two years, Alexander has been the act booked to ring in the New Year. Tickets for this show are in demand so book early.

Show times nightly will be 8 and 10 p.m.  For a full schedule of Alexander’s performance and to book advance tickets log on to http://www.bluesalley.com/events.cfm.

THE BLUE NOTE

Alexander will continue his musical celebration with a historic performance in January 2014 at New York’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club, under the theme, “A History of Jamaican Music – Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady and Jazz.”

“This show will be one of the most incredible that I have ever been a part of,” commented Jamaica’s acclaimed Piano Man. “It will truly be called a musical presentation of the history of reggae and Jamaican music!”

The New York performance at the legendary jazz club will run from January 13^th for one night only before returning for six consecutive nights, from January 21^st with vocalist, Caterina Zapponi & the Pizzarellis on guitars and bass and John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton from the 22^nd to the 24th . All of the artists will be backed by Alexander’s Grammy-nominated band, the Harlem-Kingston Express.

HISTORY OF REGGAE

“A History Of Reggae,” will take the show to higher heights on January 25^th and 26th and will not only feature Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction and ‘Luminary Award’ 2012 recipient, Alexander, but Ernest Ranglin, Jamaica’s Master of the Guitar and the pioneer and innovator of reggae and Jamaican music; and the new Prince of Reggae and Jamaica’s most buzzed about reggae act, Chronixx.

Ranglin played guitar on many early ska recordings in Jamaica and helped create the rhythmic guitar style that defined the music form. He has worked with Jimmy Cliff, The Skatalites and the late great Robert Nesta Marley and is a known for a chordal and rhythmic approach that blends jazz, mento and reggae with percussive guitar solos incorporating rhythm ‘n’ blues and jazz inflections. In 2008 Ranglin was inducted into the Jamaican Music Hall of Fame by the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA).

Chronixx, born Jamar McNaughton, 21, has been lauded recently as reggae’s next superstar. The first single from his “Dread and Terrible” EP, “Here Comes Trouble” recently topped the BBC’s digital urban station Radio 1Xtra chart, is in rotation on Sirius XM’s reggae channel.

Show times on January 13^th and January 21-26^th at the Blue Note will be 8 and 10:30 p.m. For more and to make reservation, log on to http://www.bluenote.net/newyork/schedule/moreinfo.cgi?id=11634

ABOUT MONTY ALEXANDER

In a career spanning five decades, pianist Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. In the process, he has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe and entertainment world: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among others.

Alexander’s collaborations span multiple genres, styles, and generations. His projects have been as varied as assisting Natalie Cole in her tribute album to her father, Nat “King” Cole in 1991 (the resulting album, Unforgettable, won seven Grammy awards), performing George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” under the direction of Bobby McFerrin at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and recording the piano track for the film score of Clint Eastwood’s Bird, a movie about the life of jazz titan Charlie Parker.

In August 2000, the Jamaican government awarded Alexander the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica as a worldwide music ambassador. Two collections were released in 2011 that capture the excitement of Monty Alexander’s live performances around the world: Uplift, a trio album on JLP Records, and Harlem-Kingston Express on Motema Music.

‘Harlem Kingston Express: Live!,’ was singled out by both the recording industry and fans and received a Grammy award nomination in 2012.

In the summer of 2012, Alexander was awarded the prestigious German Jazz Trophy, “A Life for Jazz” and in November 2012 he received the Caribbean American Heritage Luminary Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington, D.C.

For more on the Caribbean’s greatest jazz pianist and his music visit www.montyalexander.com.

D.C. – June 20th-23^rd; PA – June 28^th; Rochester, NY – June 29th

Jamaican-born, jazz great, Monty Alexander. (Photo credit: A. Nahigian)

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Mon., June 17, 2013: Grammy-nominated, Jamaican-born jazz great, Monty Alexander is on a mission in his 51^st year of music – taking his “Uplift” rhythm to as many fans as possible across the U.S. and around the world.

Fresh from headlining the Dominica Creole Music Festival in the Caribbean, Alexander and his Grammy-nominated band, The Harlem Kingston Express, will bring their foot-tapping, hip swinging jazz to Washington, D.C.’s prestigious club, Blues Alley at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, from June 20^th through 23^rd.

The performance at 8 and 10 p.m. nightly comes as Alexander’s new album release “Uplift 2” on the JLP label, remains on the Jazz charts amidst rave reviews.

Tickets for the shows are $40 and can be bought online at http://www.bluesalleylive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=buy.event&eventID=278567D9-D3AC-41FC-D138A9D50A1510B2

“I look forward to having another opportunity to play with my ensemble, Harlem-Kingston Express, for my long-time, faithful friends, as well as new friends who may visit with us,” said Alexander. “I and my colleagues will be celebrating our ‘One Love’ experience as well as the ‘Joy of Life.’”

From D.C., Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction and The Harlem Kingston Express will head to Allegheny, PA for a free performance at the South Park Amphitheater from 7:30 p.m. on June 28^th.

He will end Caribbean American Heritage Month in Rochester, NY at the Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 29^th from 9 p.m. where he is one of the headliners at the free show, set for the City of Rochester East Avenue & Chestnut Street Stage.

For more see http://www.rochesterjazz.com/artist_lineup/?artist_id=934.

About Monty Alexander

Over his stellar career, Alexander, whose influence combines that of Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris and Nat “King” Cole, has performed with international stars including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.

In fact, it was Sinatra and his best friend Jilly Rizzo who hired Alexander after he moved to the United States in 1961 at the age of 17.  And it was at Jilly’s famed New York City nightclub that this Jamaican teen caught the ears of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Milt “Bags” Jackson.

Bags introduced him to the great bassist Ray Brown, and the rest as they say, is history, including Alexander’s 1976 Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival performance with drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton, which has become one of the most celebrated live recordings in contemporary jazz.

For more on the Caribbean’s greatest jazz pianist and his music visit www.montyalexander.com.

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. April 2, 2013: Jamaican-born, Caribbean-raised jazz great and Grammy-nominated artist, Monty Alexander, is in high demand this year, with performances that has him globetrotting and city-hopping on the heels of his new album and his 51^st year as a musician.

Alexander, whose 50^th anniversary album, “Harlem-Kingston Express: Live!” was nominated for a Reggae Grammy and won rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The London Evening Standard and Jazz Times among dozens of other media houses, is set to take his brand of stirring jazz to the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland from Tuesday, April 16th to Saturday, April 20^th.

The performance comes as Alexander’s new album release “Uplift 2” on the JLP label, sits at #2 on the Jazz charts.

The stellar musician will then return to the U.S. to share a similar kind of joy with his fans at Boston’s legendary Scullers Jazz Club on April 26^th and New York City’s famous Birdland Club Jazz Club from May 7^th to 11^th.

Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction and ‘Luminary Award’ 2012 recipient, then returns to the U.S. for performances in Boston and New York City, before heading to the nature isle of Dominica for the first time, where he will headline the increasingly popular, Dominica Jazz ‘n Creole Festival on May 19^th at the Cabrits National Park.

“For many years I have harbored the desire to be able to visit one of the beautiful island if the Caribbean – Dominica,” commented Alexander. “I have had friends of Dominica heritage, including Connie Kay, the great drummer from the great Modern Jazz Quartet.  To be able to bring a musical offering to Dominica makes my visit extra special.”

Dominica’s jazz fans are sure to experience a different kind of jazz from Alexander – the kind that will have them putting on their dancing shoes on and keeping them on.

And his Grammy-nominated band, The Harlem Kingston Express, will add to the experience that combines traditional jazz with the rocking rhythms of Jamaica which results in a sound that is uniquely Alexander’s and The Harlem Kingston Express!

Tickets for his Boston and New York performances are $30 per person. For Scullers, get tickets at http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3466214&pl=scullers and for Birdland, log on to http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/243141-monty-alexander-harlem-new-york/

Following his Dominica debut, Alexander, will again join his Harlem Kingston Express to bring his brand of jiving jazz to Washington, D.C.’s popular Blues Alley from June 20th to 23^rd and Pittsburgh, PA on June 28^th at the South Park Band Shell.

He and his band will wrap up the first half of 2013 in Rochester, NY with a scintillating performance at the Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 29th. For more see http://www.rochesterjazz.com/artist_lineup/?artist_id=934.

2013 Performance Dates:

Switzerland – Bern Jazz Festival – April 16-20^th.

Boston, MA – Scullers Jazz Club  – April 26^th.

News York City – Birdland Club Jazz Club- May 7^th to 11^th.

Dominica, W.I. – Dominica Jazz ‘n Creole Festival -  May 19^th.

Washington, D.C. – Blues Alley – June 20^th to 23^rd.

Pittsburgh, PA – South Park Band Shell – June 28^th.

Rochester, NY – Rochester International Jazz Festival – June 29^th.

About Monty Alexander

Over his stellar career, Alexander, whose influence combines that of Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris and Nat “King” Cole, has performed with international stars including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.

In fact, it was Sinatra and his best friend Jilly Rizzo who hired Alexander after he moved to the United States in 1961 at the age of 17.  And it was at Jilly’s famed New York City nightclub that this Jamaican teen caught the ears of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Milt “Bags” Jackson.

Bags introduced him to the great bassist Ray Brown, and the rest as they say, is history, including Alexander’s 1976 Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival performance with drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton, which has become one of the most celebrated live recordings in contemporary jazz.

For more on the Caribbean’s greatest jazz pianist and his music visit www.montyalexander.com.