Monty Alexander

Monty Alexander (born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on June 6, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica) is an American pianist.

Related Topics:
1944 - Kingston - Jamaica - American - Pianist

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He discovered the piano at the age of 4, taking classical music lessons at 6 and became interested in jazz at the age of 14. Two years later, he directed a dance orchestra (Monty and the Cyclones) and played in the local clubs. He listened to numerous other jazz musicians, mostly pianists.

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Alexander and his family moved to Miami, Florida in 1961 and he went to New York in 1962 and started to play at Jilly's club owned by Jilly Rizzo. Here he meets and becomes friends with Ray Brown. In California, in 1965, he recorded his first album, Alexander the Great, for Pacific Jazz.

Related Topics:
Miami - Florida - 1961 - Ray Brown - 1965 - Pacific Jazz

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Alexander recorded with Milt Jackson in 1969, with Ernest Ranglin in 1974 and in Europe the same year with Ed Thigpen. He toured regu;larly in Europe and records there, mostly with his classic trio for the MPS Records. He also toured around 1976 with the steel-drums player Othello Molineaux. Alexander has also played with several singers such as Ernestine Anderson, Mary Stallings and other important leaders (Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Jimmy Griffin and Frank Morgan).

Related Topics:
Milt Jackson - 1969 - Ernest Ranglin - 1974 - Ed Thigpen - MPS Records - 1976 - Othello Molineaux - Ernestine Anderson - Mary Stallings - Dizzy Gillespie - Benny Golson - Jimmy Griffin - Frank Morgan

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In his successive trios, he has played frequently with musicians associated with Oscar Peterson: Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, Mads Vinding, Ed Thigpen and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. His playing has strong Caribbean and a happy swing feeling, but he has also been influenced by Wynton Kelly, Art Tatum, Gene Harris and Ahmad Jamal.

Related Topics:
Oscar Peterson - Herb Ellis - Ray Brown - Mads Vinding - Ed Thigpen - Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Wynton Kelly - Art Tatum - Gene Harris - Ahmad Jamal

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