CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mar. 4, 2022: The year was 1972 when Jamaica’s international musician, Monty Alexander, made his debut to rave reviews at the then 7-year-old Blues Alley jazz club in Washington, D.C. Next week, he returns for his 50^th annual performance to mark his five-decade sojourn at the now famous club and a D.C. institution.

The world-renowned, Grammy-nominated international musician, Dr. Alexander, CD, is kicking off his 50^th anniversary performance at Blues Alley for the first time since the pandemic began, on Thursday, March 10^th.

Performances will continue through to Sunday, March 13^th with two shows per night at 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007.

Dr. Alexander, whose jazz album ‘Wareika Hill RastaMonk Vibrations,’ a tribute to his roots, reigned at number one on US Jazz and NACC radio for weeks after its release, is truly excited to perform live again, and especially to mark his 5-decade performance in the nation’s capital.

Show times are 8:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. between March 10^th and 13th. Tickets are US$45 and US$50 and fans can reserve now by selecting the date and time here or at https://www.bluesalley.com/events and checking out.

In commenting on the upcoming performance, the Caribbean musical genius said: “It’s very hard to comprehend that 50 years later both Blues Alley and I are still rolling along, swinging and grooving, and bringing upliftment to the world.

ABOUT MONTY

Born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on D-Day in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, the musical virtuoso has five decades of performances and over 70 CDs under his belt.  Alexander began his musical career at age four by playing Christmas carols by ear. He is now most widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function as he has demonstrated with several top-shelf groups, including iconic units with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and with the legendary bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.

Alexander also performs frequently with Harlem-Kingston Express, a double trio in which he coalesces his love for hard-swinging jazz with musical flavors that reflect his Jamaican heritage, shifting between an acoustic trio and master Jamaican practitioners of electric bass and drums.

At 78, the jazz maestro continues to tour the world despite the pandemic, with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful messages as he has done on ‘Wareika Hill RastaMonk Vibrations.’

For more, 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 performances on Twitter at @montyHKE.

ABOUT BLUES ALLEY

Blues Alley, founded in 1965, is a jazz nightclub in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Musicians who have performed at Blues Alley include Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, John Abercrombie, Tony Bennett, Taj Mahal, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Sarah Vaughan, Grover Washington Jr., Mary Wilson, Nancy Wilson and dozens more.

In 1975, during afternoons when the club was closed, Earl Hines spent a week in Blues Alley making an hour-long film for British television, featuring Frank Hart, Blue’s Alley’s “Clean-Up Man.” See more at bluesalley.com/.

PHOTO: Dr. Monty Alexander, CD. (Hollis King Image)

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CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Tues.  July 9, 2019: Jamaica’s world-renowned jazz maestro, Dr. Monty Alexander, has Baltimore on his mind this summer.

Dr. Alexander returns to the ‘Charm City’ for a four-night performance at Baltimore’s premiere music venue, Keystone Korner at 1350 Lancaster Street Baltimore, MD 21231 from July 18th-21st.

The Grammy-nominated international musician will be joined for this performance by bassist J.J. Shakur and drummer Jason Brown. The concert is sure to take fans through a musical journey within Alexander’s own ‘brand of jazz’ that features not just traditional jazz that purists have come to know and love but the rhythm of his homeland, including calypso, reggae, mento and other island music. As with his performances, fans are sure to get into the beat while jazz purists are certain to be baptized into true fans of ‘Alexander’s jazz’

Tickets for the shows start at US$30 can be obtained here. Showtime on opening night, Thursday, July 18^th, is 7 and 9 p.m., respectively while performances for Friday and Saturday July 19^th and July 20^th are starts at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., respectively. On Sunday, July 21^st, fans can catch Alexander’s performances at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Alexander, CD, late last year received an honorary Doctorate of Letters of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus. Born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on D-Day in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, the musical virtuoso has five decades of performances and over 70 CDs under his belt.  Alexander began his musical career at age four by playing Christmas carols by ear. He is now most widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function as he has demonstrated with several top-shelf groups, including iconic units with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and with the legendary bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.

Dr. Alexander also performs frequently with Harlem-Kingston Express, a double trio in which he coalesces his love for hard-swinging jazz with musical flavors that reflect his Jamaican heritage, shifting between an acoustic trio and master Jamaican practitioners of electric bass and drums.

At 75, he continues to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message.

For more on Dr. Monty Alexander and his amazing brand of jazz, 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Tues.  Jan. 8, 2019: Jamaica’s world-renowned jazz maestro, Dr. Monty Alexander, is kicking off the New Year in fine style with a musical explosion in his adopted city of New York.

Dr. Alexander will open his New Year tour with a five-night performance at the Big Apple’s legendary jazz club, Birdland, from January 15^th -19^th.

The Grammy-nominated international musician will present the New York show under the theme: ‘Love Notes-Jamaica to Jazz.’ The performance is sure to take fans through a musical history that starts in his homeland and features calypso, reggae, mento and other island music and ends with traditional jazz from his Grammy-nominated album. As with his performances, fans are sure to get into the rhythm while jazz purists are certain to be baptized into true fans of the genre.

Tickets for the show at 315 West 44th St., New York, NY 10036 are US$30 to $40 and can be obtained here by selecting ‘Tickets’ on the performance night. Showtime on opening night, Jan. 15^th is 11 p.m. while performances for Jan. 16^th – 19^th will start at 8:30 p.m. nightly.

Alexander, CD, late last year received an honorary Doctorate of Letters of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus. Born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on D-Day in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, the musical virtuoso has five decades of performances and over 70 CDs under his belt.  Alexander began his musical career at age four by playing Christmas carols by ear. He is now most widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function as he has demonstrated with several top-shelf groups, including iconic units with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and with the legendary bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.

Alexander also performs frequently with Harlem-Kingston Express, a double trio in which he coalesces his love for hard-swinging jazz with musical flavors that reflect his Jamaican heritage, shifting between an acoustic trio and master Jamaican practitioners of electric bass and drums.

At 74, he continues to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message.

For more on the Monty Alexander and his amazing brand of jazz, 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Feb. 28, 2018: Jamaica’s jazz great and Grammy nominated musical maestro, Monty Alexander, is among a hand-picked group of musicians set to celebrate the twentieth edition of ‘Carnaval on the Mile,’ in Miami in Coral Gables, Florida this weekend.

Alexander will perform at the remodeled Miracle event, that will also feature musicians like Ozomatli, Negroni’s Trio, Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs and Dr. Ed Calle. The free event is set for Saturday, March 3^rd from 10 a.m. to. Midnight and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 4^th.

Monty Alexander and his Harlem Kingston Express will bring the curtains down on the show with a performance on March 4^th from 6:45 – 8 p.m. on the Heineken stage.

The event is presented by the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana and will also include an eclectic assembly of local artists and their unique jewelry, paintings, sculptures, photography and more, including a world-class juried art fair recognized by the artists it features and the collectors it draws. For more see http://carnavalmiami.com/events/carnaval-on-the-mille/

ABOUT ALEXANDER

Alexander is a Jamaican and an American classic. Since moving to the US 55 years ago, he has continued to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. Like his “eternal inspiration,” Erroll Garner, Alexander – listed at Number 5 in ‘The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time,’ gives the hardcore-jazz-obsessed much to dig into while also communicating the message to the squarest “civilian “along with his Harlem-Kingston Express. In live performances with his band, Alexander spontaneously orchestrates, switching-off from straight-ahead to two-worlds-meet.

Born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, Alexander was playing Christmas carols by ear at 4, entertaining neighbors and relatives by 5 and taking his first piano lessons at 6. He resisted formal instruction, but still, growing up in Kingston, absorbed all the musical flavors that comprise his mature sonic palette of today.

For more on the Monty Alexander and his brand of jazz, 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

Grammy Nominated Legendary Jamaican Jazz Great Monty Alexander.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY,  Dec. 29, 2017: Award-winning, Jamaican-born jazz great, Monty Alexander, will bring his unique brand of jazz back to New York City for a jolly five-night New Year kick-off on January 2, 2018.

Alexander, who has played with jazz royalty like Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Tony Bennett and Milt Jackson among others, as well as with fellow national musicians like Ernest Ranglin and Sly & Robbie, is sure to have jazz and music fans on their feet as he returns to the famous Birdland Jazz Club in the Big Apple, at 315 West 44th Street in Manhattan, New York.

The Grammy-nominated musician, who tells many incredible stories of his adventures from Jamaica to the world through music, will play Birdland from January 2nd-6^th at 8:30 and 11 p.m., respectively, each night.

Caribbean and New York jazz fans can get tickets here now for just $40 or by logging on directly to  birdlandjazz.com/attraction/monty+alexander

Alexander is certain to open his play book for fans, which is well documented on over 70 CDs and spans a broad range of jazz, blues, gospel, bebop, calypso and reggae. Alexander, whose performances have been called pure magic by many journalists and jazz fans around the world and whose sets are undoubtedly “a refined concept of groove,” also has a busy rest of the year already planned.

UPCOMING DATES:

From January 9-10, 2018, he will play the Triple Door in Seattle, Washington from 7:30 p.m. nightly;

From January 11-13, 2018, he will play Frankie’s Jazz Club in Vancouver, British Columbia from 8 p.m. nightly;

On January 14, 2018 he will be at The Moss Theatre in Santa Monica, California from 7:30 p.m., and;

On January 16^, 2018, he will play Yoshi’s Oakland in Oakland California at 8 p.m.

Alexander is a Jamaican and an American classic. Since moving to the US 55 years ago, he has continued to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. Like his “eternal inspiration,” Erroll Garner, Alexander – listed at Number 5 in ‘The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time,’ gives the hardcore-jazz-obsessed much to dig into while also communicating the message to the squarest “civilian “along with his Harlem-Kingston Express. In live performances with his band, Alexander spontaneously orchestrates, switching-off from straight-ahead to two-worlds-meet.

Born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, Alexander was playing Christmas carols by ear at 4, entertaining neighbors and relatives by 5 and taking his first piano lessons at 6. He resisted formal instruction, but still, growing up in Kingston, absorbed all the musical flavors that comprise his mature sonic palette of today.

For more on the Monty Alexander and his brand of jazz, 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

…. As Alexander Gears Up For Six-City Tour

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Aug. 16, 2017: A French journalist’s comparison of the fluidity of the strides of recently retired Jamaican Olympic legend Usain Bolt to the agile hands of Grammy-nominated, Jamaican jazz great, Monty Alexander, on a piano, has left the virtuoso speechless.

Alexander said he was shocked recently, when while reading journalist David Gakunzi’s piece, ‘Bolt: La course manqué,’ he realized the writer had compared his hands, furiously playing one of his classics, ‘Take The A Train,’ to the strides of the world’s greatest athlete.

“To conquer the sky once more … his steps as fluid as the agile hands of Monty Alexander revisiting ‘Take the A train’ on a furious piano, marking history one last time,” Gakunzi wrote in French in his August 14, 2017 piece in La Regle Du Jeu.

“It is definitely a unique comparison,” Alexander commented recently. “I never thought of it that way but I know for me, similarly to Usain Bolt, I want to help to bring more good will and see Jamaica rise to its highest potential wherever I go.”

Alexander, who has been presented with the Commander In The Order Of Distinction for outstanding services to his homeland as a worldwide music ambassador, is set for a six-city tour across the US, beginning tomorrow, August 17^th.

The one-of-a-kind musician will play the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Tickets for this one-time performance are $43.50 – $48.50 and can be purchased here.

On Friday, August 18^th, Alexander will play one show only at the Smith Center in Las Vegas from 7 p.m. Tickets are $39 – $59 and can be purchased here. On Saturday, August 19^th, the man widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function, will travel to California for three performances. On Saturday night at 5 and 8 p.m., respectively, he will play the Lesher Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and can be bought here.

On Sunday August 20^th, Alexander will play a sold-out matinee show at Jazz at Filoli in Woodwide, CA and on Monday, August 21^st, the top pianist will play the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in n Santa Cruz, CA from 7 p.m. Tickets are $30-35 and can be purchased here.

Alexander will wrap up his six-city performance with back-to-back shows at Dazzle’s Jazz in Denver, CO from Tuesday August 22^nd to Wednesday, Aug. 23^rd. Showtime nightly is 8:30 p.m. and tickets from $20 – $45 can be obtained here now.

ABOUT ALEXANDER

Alexander is one of the most sought after jazz pianists in the world and is ranked in the top five in ‘The Fifty Greatest Piano Players of All Time.’ Soon after moving to the U.S. from his native Jamaica, his amazing talent caught the ears of Frank Sinatra and Jilly Rizzo, and he was hired as house pianist at Jilly’s, New York City’s famed club, where he worked with some of the top names in jazz. Fifty-five years after he moved to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica, he has become an American classic. Whether playing straight jazz, Jamaican Reggae, Soul, or the music of his idols, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Frank Sinatra, Alexander’s energy and vibrancy, coupled with his musical prowess on the piano, will astound fans anywhere. He tours the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his effervescent personality and soulful message. His spirited conception is one informed by the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition. As Alexander, himself, sums it up: “To build up the heat and kick up a storm.”

For more on Monty Alexander 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Jan. 10, 2017: Grammy-nominated, award-winning Jamaican jazz pianist and band leader, Monty Alexander, will begin the New Year in fine style as he returns to the Jazz Standard, one of NYC’s renowned jazz clubs, from Jan. 31st to Feb. 4, 2017 for ten shows under the theme: “Looking Back.”

Alexander kicks off a five-night series of shows on January 31^st by looking back on his career of pure jazz performances as he remembers and revisits his musical journey in jazz and jazz collaborations with some of the greatest giants of the genre between 1959 and 1977.

On Jan. 31^st and Feb. 1^st, Alexander, along with special guests Warren Wolf, (vibraphone), and Ron Blake, (tenor sax), will reprise songs from the Impulse! LP: ‘That’s The Way It Is,’ an outstanding album by the Milt Jackson Quintet – featuring Alexander, Ray Brown and Teddy Edwards that was recorded live in 1969 at Shelly Manne’s Manne–Hole in Los Angeles.

On Feb. 2, 2017, the jazz maestro, whose “right-hand lines ring out with the power of a great vocalist” according to NPR, will remember legends Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson and Norman Granz and Jazz at the Philharmonic/Montreux 1977.

The show wraps up on Friday, Feb. 3^rd and Saturday, Feb. 4^th with a special Jamaican fusion spotlight as Alexander, Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction, and his band, the Harlem-Kingston Express, bring the vibes of his beloved homeland to their fans, while remembering Clement Seymour “Sir Coxsone” Dodd, CD and Studio One, one of Jamaica’s most influential record producer whose record label and recording studio has been described as the ‘Motown of Jamaica.’

Show times are 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. nightly. Caribbean and other jazz fans who call New York City home can secure their tickets for the shows here or by logging on to the Jazz Standard website. Tickets are $35 for per show from Jan. 31^st to Feb. 2^nd and $40 per show from Feb. 3^rd – 4th.

For over a decade, the Jazz Standard, at 116 E 27th St, New York, NY, has been setting the standard for world-class jazz, warm hospitality, pitch-perfect sound and award-winning Southern cuisine and barbecue in an intimate and comfortable environment.

Alexander is an American classic. His performances have been called pure magic by many journalists and jazz fans around the world and his sets are undoubtedly “a refined concept of groove.” This extraordinary musician continues to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. His energetic pieces, documented on more than 70 CDs, draws upon the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition “to build up the heat and kick up a storm,” as Alexander puts it.

In the course of any given performance, Alexander applies those aesthetics to a repertoire spanning a broad range of jazz and Jamaican musical expression – the American songbook and the blues, gospel and bebop, calypso and reggae. Like his “eternal inspiration” – Erroll Garner -  Alexander is cited as the fifth greatest jazz pianist ever in The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time (Hal Leonard Publishing) and mentioned in Robert Doerschuk’s ‘88: The Giants of Jazz Piano.’

Alexander’s voluminous discography includes albums for many labels including MPS, Concord Music, Island Jazz, Telarc and Studio One. Two of his most fondly remembered professional associations was with legendary jazz entrepreneur and producer Norman Granz, who conceived of Jazz at the Philharmonic back in the late 40’s/50’s and “Sir Coxsone Dodd.” The pianist recorded “Monty and the Cyclones” between 1959-1961 for Studio One and released three LPs on Granz’s Pablo label in the 70’s – Jamento (1978), In Tokyo (1979), and Soul Fusion (1978) by Milt Jackson & The Monty Alexander Trio.

For more on Monty Alexander 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

[email protected]

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 9 2015: Jamaica’s legendary award-winning international master pianist, Monty Alexander, fresh from a tour of Japan, will be taking his Harlem Kingston Express to Hollywood this weekend.

Alexander, who has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, will  bring ‘A Jamaica Reggae/Jazz One Love Party’ to Los Angeles, California this November 13^th and 14th.

He and his Grammy-nominated band will perform at the popular Catalina Jazz Club at 6725 W. Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, CA  from 8:30 PST over the two nights where he will treat fans to his own version of contemporary jazz.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=5995895&pl=cbg or by clicking here.

Alexander has over 70 recordings under his belt and has performed globally with renowned artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Natalie Cole and Tony Bennett among numerous others.

He was awarded the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica in August 2000 by the Jamaican government 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, the freewheeling virtuoso  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.  Last year, ‘Harlem Kingston Express Vol. 2’ was nominated for a Soul Train award.

Alexander maintains a rigorous touring schedule worldwide because of his unchained improvisational style – playing from jazz clubs to concert halls and top 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)

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon July 21, 2014: With his new album riding high on the Jazz radio charts, Grammy-nominated international jazz pianist, Monty Alexander, will roll into The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle, Washington aboard the Harlem-Kingston Express this July 24th for a three-night performance.

The Jamaican-born musical virtuoso and his band will perform through July 27^th and will be treating fans to some of the latest tracks from his new album, ‘Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2: The River Rolls On,’ which was released on April 8^th on the Motéma Music label and has remained for seven weeks at number one the Jazz radio charts.

“We are bringing my birthday party to Seattle,” commented Alexander who turned 70 in June. “The band and I look forward to treating fans to some of the latest from the new album such as “Love Notes,” with my friends George Benson, Ramsey Lewis and Joe Sample; a live version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” recorded live in 2005 with vocalist Wendel Ferraro; previously unreleased live recordings of the Jamaican folk song “Linstead Market;” “Regulator (Reggae-Later),” as well as  a mix of interpretations including “People Make the World Go Round,” “What’s Going On” (“Wa’a Gwan”) and Jimmy Cliff’s reggae landmark “The Harder They Come.”

Alexander will be joined for the Seattle performance by band members Hassan Shakur (acoustic bass), Dennis Mackrel (drums), Andy Bassford (guitar), Joshua Thomas (electric bass) and Karl Wright (drums/percussion).

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. on July 24^th through 26^th for two nightly performances – at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., respectively.  On Sunday July 27^th, Alexander and the Harlem-Kingston Express will only perform at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $26.50 per performance. To reserve your seat today, log on here or to http://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=1403

Seattle’s Jazz Alley is a fixture of the Seattle live music and dining scene, family-owned and operated since 1979.

ALEXANDER’S 2014 TOUR SCHEDULE

August 1 – Telluride, CO, Telluride Jazz Festival w/ Harlem Kingston Express

August 2-3 – Denver, CO, Dazzle Jazz w/ Monty Alexander

August 7 – Vail, CO, Vail Jazz Festival w/ Monty Alexander Trio

August 8-9 – Aspen, CO, Aspen JazzSnowman w/ Harlem Kingston Express

August 10 – San Jose, CA, San Jose Jazz Festival w/ Harlem Kingston Express

August 30 – Easton, MD, 6th Annual Monty Alexander Jazz Festival

September 13 – Salt Lake City, UT, Capitol Theatre w/ Harlem Kingston Express

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

ABOUT MONTY ALEXANDER

In a career spanning five decades and with 70 recordings under his belt, Alexander has built a reputation that bridged the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica to create his own musical brand.

His collaborations span multiple genres, styles, and generations and 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.

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)

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Feb. 18, 2014:  Jazz great and Jamaican-born Commander in the Order of Distinction, Monty Alexander, is set to bring a musical wave of sunshine to the Peach State this Saturday.

Described as “one of the most eclectic pianists you’ll ever hear” by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Alexander will play the famed Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia this Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 8:15 P.M.

Spivey Hall is renowned internationally for its superb acoustics, is home to the award-winning Spivey Hall Children’s Choir and Spivey Hall Young Artists and has become one of the places to play on the American classical and jazz music circuits.

The Grammy-nominated musician says he hopes the thousands of Caribbean nationals in Atlanta will come out as well this Saturday to enjoy the musical blend he will be offering – a unique blend of traditional jazz coupled with the contemporary Caribbean up-tempo reggae blend that has made him popular around the globe.

Atlanta jazz fans can get tickets here now or by logging on directly to https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/CLAY/

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.

Click Here for More Information »

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. May 1, 2013: Birdland Jazz Club will be springing to life this May, as Grammy-nominated artist Monty Alexander and his Grammy-nominated band, The Harlem Kingston Express, returns with their foot-tapping, hip swinging Caribbean infused jazz.

The Jamaican-born, Caribbean-raised jazz great, who recently released his new album and entered his 51^st year as a musician, will play New York’s premier live music venue, Birdland, at 315 West 44th Street in New York City, from May 7^th to 11^th at 8:30 and 11 p.m. nightly.

The performance comes as Alexander’s new album release “Uplift 2” on the JLP label, sits at #4 on the Jazz charts. Tickets for Birdland are $30-40 and can be obtained by logging on here or to http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/243141-monty-alexander-harlem-new-york/

“I look forward to having another opportunity to play with my ensemble, Harlem-Kingston Express, in one of the finest music venues in the world – Birdland – 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.”

The musician, 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 fresh from performances  at the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland and Boston’s legendary Scullers Jazz Club.

Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction and ‘Luminary Award’ 2012 recipient, will next head 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.

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.

Monty’s Other 2013 Performance Dates:

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.

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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.

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CaribPR Wire, QUEEN, NY, Mon. May 7, 2012: The legendary pianist Monty Alexander, a true son of Jamaica, and his friends Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley, will perform at a benefit concert on his birthday, June 6, 2012, at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, New York City.  This Birthday Bash will also commemorate Monty’s 50 years in music and the 50^th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica from Great Britain.

Monty Alexander’s legacy of musical excellence bridges the worlds of Jazz and Jamaican music with over 70 albums and an international following of dedicated fans.  Reggae stars, Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley, will join Monty on the Merkin Concert Hall stage for this happy occasion. 

Proceeds from the concert will benefit Heartbeats of the World, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that serves to enrich the lives of children, adolescents, and women in Jamaica, WI by providing educational opportunities to address poverty and unemployment.  The concert will also celebrate the tenth anniversary of Heartbeats of the World, which was founded by its President, Dr. Karlene ChinQuee.

Mr. Alexander was first approached by Pat Chin, founder of VP Records, to volunteer his services to the Heartbeats’ charity.  Speaking for the Board of Directors of Heartbeats, Mrs. Chin  said: “We thank Monty, Dean and Tarrus for their generous donation of time and talent to such a worthy cause; we all look forward to celebrating Monty’s birthday.” 

Tickets are now on sale at Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67^th Street, New York, NY 10023, (212) 501-3330; kaufman-center.org/mch.  For VIP tickets call (212) 506-1718.

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CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 8, 2010: Renowned Jamaican-born jazz pianist, Monty Alexander, still remembers when he first saw the legendary Nat King Cole and  met Frank Sinatra. Cole’s musical impact on the younger Monty and his later musical experiences with Sinatra will come in to focus this month when Alexander reflects on both icons of America’s great songbook at a New York City show.

Alexander, Jamaica’s acclaimed Commander of Distinction, will present his “King Cole and Mr. S” reflections from November 23-25th at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan. Show times for the three night shows will be at 8:30 and 11 p.m., respectively.

Accompanying Alexander will be his phenomenal group of Robert Thomas, Jr. on hand drums; Lorin Cohen on bass; Winard Harper on drums and Yotam Silberstein on guitar. The shows will be made even more special this fall season with the addition of a brilliant vocalist James De Frances, who is set to belt out favorites from both Cole and Sinatra to the accompaniment of Alexander and his ensemble.
Of course Alexander will also pay tribute to his roots by including some of his upbeat reggae-themed pieces for patrons attending the shows.

Alexander, who has the distinction of being named one of the greatest piano players in jazz, still remembers seeing Cole for the first time at age 12 at a theater in his native Jamaica, and being overtaken by the spirit of the singer and his music. 

It is that love, knowledge and dedication to the memory of Cole that would filter back to Cole’s daughter, Natalie, who invited him to assist her on the “Unforgettable” album.  The Sinatra connection was a lot more by chance. The largely self-taught pianist was playing in a Miami bar in his teens that was visited by Sinatra and his group of friends, including his right hand man, Jilly Rizzo. When Alexander ended his set he was approached by Rizzo and the legendary singer who invited him to play at the New York bistro, Jilly’s. Alexander moved to New York where he played on and off for several years, accompanying ‘Ole Blue Eyes’ on various occasions.

“The kid is a gas,” is how Sinatra, using the lingo at the time for “superb,” once described Alexander.

The Kingston-born musician has also performed with the likes of Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare and on the “Concrete Jungle, The Music of Bob Marley collection,” over his five decade-long career.

He has recorded over 60 albums to date and is set to mark his 50th year in the music industry with a new album next year.  His 1976 Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival performance with drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton has become one of the most celebrated live recordings in contemporary jazz. Alexander’s most recent albums on the Telarc label include trio sessions, such as “Impressions in Blue,” and the live concert recording “Goin’ Yard.” His release on Chesky is “Calypso Blues” is a tribute to his hero Nat Cole.

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. 

Tickets for Alexander’s shows on Tuesday-Thursday, November 23-25 at Birdland are $30 and $40, respectively and can be purchased by logging on to http://www.birdlandjazz.com/ or by calling (212) 581-3080.

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

 

 

 

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CARIBPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Jan. 10, 2010:  The countdown has begun to the Caribbean’s best music festival – Jamaica Jazz & Blues – which is set to wrap up for three nights on the field of the Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny, just 19 km east of its former home in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Turnkey Productions, producers of the annual festival, says plans are well under day to transform the inner field of the stadium into the phenomenal experience that is associated with Jamaica Jazz & Blues annually.

Walter Elmore, executive producer of the festival and founder of Turnkey Productions, insists that fans of the main event will not have to sit in stadium seats for the festival but as at the Aqueduct at Rose Hall in Montego Bay, fans will be able to sit or stand on the field under the stars and soak in the many extraordinary performances.

“All of the focus is currently on transforming the in-field of the stadium to create the intimacy and mystique that is undoubtedly Jamaica Jazz & Blues,” said Elmore. “It will not be a stadium-style performance but definitely an upfront and personal experience as our loyal fans remain our primary focus and we are dedicated to ensuring we continue to providing the unparalleled experience that has made us the number one musical event across the Caribbean.”

The 2010 staging of the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival will be a seven-day long celebration of The Art of Music that will see the North Coast engulfed in the awesome sights and sounds of the Turn Key Productions event from January 24-30.

The event kicks off on Sunday, January 24^th with Jazz in the Gardens at the Jamaica Pegasus, Kingston, featuring Roy Ayers and Tony Greene from 8-11 p.m.  The line-up of the 14^th staging of the annual includes top Grammy winning acts like Gladys Knight, Kenneth `Babyface` Edmonds, Billy Ocean, Erykah Badu, Third World and The Whispers.

Babyface will take to the stage on Thursday, January 28^th at The Greenfield Stadium in Trelawny along with The Whispers, Joss Stone, Monty Alexander and Joe Roy Jackson. 

On Friday, January 29^th, fans can get ready for Erykah Badu, Billy Ocean, Machel Montano, Robin Banks and the Queens Project – featuring Tamia, Kelly Price and Deborah Cox. 

The festival wraps up on Saturday January 30^th with the Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight, along with Third World, Hall & Oates, Jon Secada and Marion Hall.

The annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival will be held from January 24-30, 2010 in Jamaica. Jamaica Jazz since its introduction in 1996 was known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, has attracted thousands of patrons from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica.

Jamaica Jazz festival officials are urging all music fans in the U.S., U.K. and Canada to book last minute package to the festival now to experience the sights, sounds and magic of sunny Jamaica, West Indies. Tickets and packages are available at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com or by calling your favorite travel agent. 

This year the festival is again being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board. Other sponsors include Air Jamaica, Iberostar, Rose Hall Resort, CVM TV and The Gleaner Company among others.

 SOURCE: CaribPR Wire

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CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Weds. Jan. 6, 2010: Jazz musician, Jon Saxx and his band, the Irresistible Journey, on Tuesday night walked away the winner of the 2010 South Florida Jamaica Jazz Fest Quest.

 Saxx and his group were last night declared the unanimous winner of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival amateur music contest before a packed house at the Ginger Bay Cafe in downtown Hollywood Florida.

 Jon Saxx and the Irresistible Journey beat out five other bands to win the annual talent search competition and the chance to be flown to Jamaica later this month to perform in the birth place of reggae legend Bob Marley.

 Judges Willie Stewart, an original drummer of the famed group, Third World;  Joy Schaaffe, of Air Jamaica; Karlene Shakes of the Jamaica Tourist Board;Noel Jones of Ginger Bay Café and Lukee Chung of Frame by Frame and Island Stylee.com agreed with the audience that Saxx and his band performed phenomenally.

 Jon Saxx and the Irresistible Journey will perform at the Caribbean’s best music festival, the 2010 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Trelawny, Jamaica between January 24 and 30, 2010.

 Saxx was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended college at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated with a degree in Manufacturing Engineering.

He has been voted Best Local Jazz Artist in South Florida by Miami New Times in 2008 and has performed with Najee, Montell Jordan, Howard Hewitt and at the Monthly National Anthem Performances for the Miami Heat.

Other competitors of the Jamaica Jazz Fest Quest South Florida on January 6th included Saxx  Kehv, the prince of reggae soul; Soul Stank, The Kirk Green Project, Larry Dogg and Da band and Narda “Nadiva” Malcolm.

 Jamaica Jazz Fest Quest is part of the Art of Music segment pushed by Turnkey Productions, the producers of the annual Jamaica Jazz Festival, as a way to help spotlight up and coming musical talent and assist possibly in getting them their big break in the music industry.

 The annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival will be held from January 24-30, 2010 in Jamaica.

 The festival has become synonymous with the culture of Jamaica and will feature not just local performance but a slew of international acts including multiple award winners Gladys Knight, Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Erykah Badu, Billy Ocean, Joe Roy Jackson, Kelly Price, Tamia, Deborah Cox, Hall and Oats, Jon Secada, Monty Alexander, Roy Ayers, Third World, Machel Montano HD, Marion Hall, and the Max Klezmer Band.

 Jamaica Jazz since its introduction in 1996 was known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, has attracted thousands of patrons from the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Jamaica.

 This year the festival is again being presented by key title sponsor, the Jamaica Tourist Board. Other sponsors include Air Jamaica, Iberostar, Rose Hall Resort, CVM TV, Link Up Group, Jamrock Magazine and The Gleaner Company among others.

 Tickets and packages are available at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com.

 

SOURCE: CaribPR Wire

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