CaribPR Wire

Monty Alexander's will ‘star’ in "Jazz around the West Indies" at the Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City from Sept 17-21, 2014.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. September 8, 2014: From Grammy nominee to Commander in the Order of Distinction and Caribbean American Heritage Luminary, Jamaica’s virtuoso, Monty Alexander, has achieved them all in his more than five decade career. This September, Alexander will add another stripe to his lengthy portfolio as he ‘stars’ in “Jazz around the West Indies” at the Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in New York City.

Alexander and his award-winning group, the Harlem Kingston Express, are set to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center show from September 17-21 in the five-day series that is a first for the legendary New York City jazz venue.

“I’m urging all my West Indian fans to come on down to Dizzy’s and experience this unique showcase of genre-and culture-blending music that is evocative of our Caribbean region,” said Alexander. “It will be a West Indian party in the shadows of Central Park.”

Reservations for the historic show at Broadway and 60th Street on the 5th Floor in Manhattan can be obtained here or by logging on directly to http://dizzys.jalc.org/index.php?option=com_dizzyclub&view=performances&event_id=12895. Show times nightly are 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. For bookings call 212-258-9595. Tickets are  $40 nightly and $45 for the Saturday night performance.

Alexander has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica. With 70 recordings under his belt, he has performed globally with renowned artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Natalie Cole and Tony Bennett among numerous others.

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

In the summer of 2012, Alexander was also awarded the prestigious German Jazz Trophy, “A Life for Jazz,” while in November of the same year, he received the Caribbean American Heritage Luminary Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington, D.C. His ‘Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2: The River Rolls On,’ was released in April on the Motéma Music label and remained for weeks at number one the Jazz radio charts.

ALEXANDER’S 2014 TOUR SCHEDULE

September 13 – Salt Lake City, Utah, Jazz at the Capitol Theater w/ Harlem Kingston Express

October 7 – Knoxville, TN, Bijou Theatre

October 8 – Roswell, NM, The Liberty

November 8 – Cape May, NJ, Jazz Festival w/ Harlem Kingston Express

November 14 – France, Conilhac Festival de Jazz, w/Trio

November 15 – Bordeaux, France, Bordeaux Auditorium, w/Trio

Dec. 26-31 – Washington, DC, Blues Alley.

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)

felicia at caribpr dot com (email)

Master pianist, Monty Alexander, in performance mode.

 

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 12, 2012: Monty Alexander and the Harlem Kingston Express is bringing a celebration to Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in New York City next month, as the party to mark Jamaica’s 50^th year of independence and the Grammy Award nominee’s 50^th year in music, continues.

"Monty Alexander – Harlem Kingston Express – Continuing The Celebration Of Jamaica’s 50th Year Of Independence And Monty’s 50th Year In Music," returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s at Broadway and 60th Street in New York City for five nights of musical festivity from November 20th-25^th.

Concerts, featuring the Jamaican-born Commander of Distinction’s Caribbean musical roots combined with his American jazz influence, will be held at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. each night. The Thanksgiving Day show will be marked by a special treat with a top Caribbean number from Alexander so after feasting on turkey and other delicacies, fans can dance it off with Alexander and the Harlem Kingston Express.

“I’m inviting all my fans to come one last time to celebrate my 50^th and Jamaica’s 50^th before we bid adieu to 2012,” said Alexander.

Tickets for the Thursday, Friday and Sunday night shows are $35 each while Saturday night tickets are $45 per person. Students with valid identification will be able to enjoy the show for $15 per ticket.

Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, one of the three main performance venues located in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, produces world-class jazz performances nightly.  The intimate 140-seat jazz club is set against a glittering backdrop with spectacular views of Central Park.

To make your reservations, book now at http://jalc.org/events/event/av-124809#.UIW4jVHhc2k or call 212-721-6500 between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 11am-1 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

Alexander has been dubbed “a masterly pianist who delights audiences everywhere” by the London Evening Standard since the release of his two collections – ‘Uplift,’ a trio album on JLP Records, and ‘Harlem-Kingston Express’ on Motema Music – last year.  Between ‘Uplift’ and ‘Harlem-Kingston Express,’ Monty Alexander has officially dominated the US Radio Charts with three number 1 spots, all in the summer of 2011. ‘Harlem-Kingston Express’ was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Reggae Album category this past February.

Last July Alexander performed at the Stuttgart Jazz Festival in Germany where he received the "German Jazz Trophy – A Life In Jazz."  He then traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa for two concerts at the Johannesburg Joy of Jazz Festival and performed at the 4th edition of the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival in Easton, MD. 

And only 2 weeks ago he played a solo piano concert in South Korea for an open air audience of 6,000 people.  Alexander will travel to Washington, D.C. on November 16th to receive the Caribbean Heritage Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies and travel from Washington to Miami where he is slated to play as the headliner for the first Miami Jazz Fest on November 18th.

Following his five night performance at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola he will perform at a major concert with international special guests set for December 16th in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

See Monty in performances here or visit www.montyalexander.com to stay abreast of his upcoming scheduled performances and latest news.