Joey Alexander

Talk about Jazz and stuff...
peterdubya
Founding Member
Posts: 43
Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 4:11 pm

Joey Alexander

Postby peterdubya » May 15th, 2015, 10:06 am

Anybody heard this kid? Sounds good.

Joey Alexander
ARTIST SNAPSHOT: Joey Alexander
Posted: Wed., May. 13, 2015 12:36:06 PM MST

NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) -- Indonesian jazz prodigy Joey Alexander has just released his debut CD "My Favorite Things," an impressive feat for someone who is just 11 years old. Alexander arranged all of the standards on the CD which also includes an original composition “Ma Blues," written by Alexander.

Alexander marked the occasion of his CD release with a sold out performance at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola club in Manhattan, earning a standing ovation from the crowd. This wasn't his first experience with the limelight, having made his U.S. debut at a May 2014 gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he performed a solo rendition of the jazz standard "Around Midnight."

While most young musical prodigies seem to possess more raw technique than nuance, Alexander exhibits a deft touch on the keys, lending an easiness and emotional complexity to the standards he plays.

"Technique is important, but for me first when I play it's from the heart and feeling the groove," Alexander told the Associated Press in a recent interview.

Born in Indonesia, Alexander started playing at an early age and came to the U.S. with the help of jazz greats such as JALC's artistic director Winton Marsalis, who now shares a manager with Alexander. Marsalis was sold on Alexander after hearing him in a YouTube clip, performing challenging pieces by artists such as Coltrane and Monk.

"There has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age," Marsalis, who now shares a manager with Alexander, told the Associated Press. "I loved everything about his playing - his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of the music."

Alexander already has a number of future performances lined up, including a gig at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival.

"The thing that differs from most young players is the maturity of his harmonic approach," the festival's director George Wein told the Associated Press. "His playing is very contemporary but he also has a sense of the history of the music." - Staff Writers
User avatar
bluenoter
Concierge
Posts: 1514
Joined: July 1st, 2013, 1:37 am
Location: DC (Taxation Without Representation)

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby bluenoter » May 15th, 2015, 10:30 am

A roundup of posts about Joey Alexander


pig pen, in the YouTube Jazz Videos thread, wrote:

bluenoter, in JT's Jazz News forum, wrote:Image


http://tinyurl.com/MotemaSigns

pig pen, in the YouTube Jazz Videos thread, wrote:I don't think this has been posted yet. Amazing kid!!


pig pen, in the YouTube Jazz Videos thread, wrote:

More Joey Alexander, holy shit!!
User avatar
pig pen
Founding Member
Posts: 231
Joined: June 28th, 2013, 4:07 am

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby pig pen » May 15th, 2015, 10:31 am

I don't know how an 11 year old can play like this, but he seems like the real deal.

"If humans used their tongues for cleaning themselves rather than talking, the world would be a much better place." - Henri, Le Chat Noir
hornplayer
Founding Member
Posts: 249
Joined: June 30th, 2013, 7:48 pm
Location: New York, NY
Contact:

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby hornplayer » May 18th, 2015, 6:56 am

Gary Walker interviewed him on WBGO last week, and he played live on the air. I have to say for one so young he plays with amazing maturity. As well, he seems to have some original ideas and is not just copying what he's heard others play.

Anyone who's interested, you should be able to go to wbgo.org/blog and hear the interview and Joey playing live.

Seems incredible, but good on him.
Life's short, drink well.
Hornplayer
www.feastivals.com/blog
User avatar
bluenoter
Concierge
Posts: 1514
Joined: July 1st, 2013, 1:37 am
Location: DC (Taxation Without Representation)

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby bluenoter » May 18th, 2015, 11:55 am

hornplayer wrote:Gary Walker interviewed him on WBGO last week, and he played live on the air. . . .

Anyone who's interested, you should be able to go to wbgo.org/blog and hear the interview and Joey playing live.

http://www.wbgo.org/blog/pianist-joey-alexander-live-at-wbgo-listen-now


Image
User avatar
pig pen
Founding Member
Posts: 231
Joined: June 28th, 2013, 4:07 am

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby pig pen » May 19th, 2015, 9:06 am

I had to laugh today, Phil Dwyer who is one of the top saxophonists in Canada, posted in Facebook "get me a young Joey Alexander!". He followed that with, that's all great until you need someone to co-sign on the rental van agreement.
"If humans used their tongues for cleaning themselves rather than talking, the world would be a much better place." - Henri, Le Chat Noir
peterdubya
Founding Member
Posts: 43
Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 4:11 pm

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby peterdubya » May 19th, 2015, 9:55 am

Holy cow! Just listening to the BGO broadcast..... he really is amazing.
steve(thelil)
Founding Member
Posts: 542
Joined: June 28th, 2013, 6:53 am

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby steve(thelil) » May 20th, 2015, 7:30 am

Reading an excellent piece on musical prodigies and how they most often (but not always) have problems in some intellectual and/or emotional areas. From what I can tell, Joey seems an exception. I hope so.
User avatar
Ron Thorne
Fadda Timekeeper
Posts: 3072
Joined: June 27th, 2013, 4:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby Ron Thorne » May 20th, 2015, 11:39 am

I hope so too. He seems very passionate and well-grounded.
"Timing is everything" - Peppercorn
http://500px.com/rpthorne
User avatar
bluenoter
Concierge
Posts: 1514
Joined: July 1st, 2013, 1:37 am
Location: DC (Taxation Without Representation)

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby bluenoter » May 20th, 2015, 3:36 pm

steve(thelil) wrote:Reading an excellent piece on musical prodigies and how they most often (but not always) have problems in some intellectual and/or emotional areas. . . .

If you tell us a little more about the piece, I can probably find a link to it. For starters, what print or online publication is it in (if you still know)?

It doesn't really sound like this NYT article, at the very end of which Nate Chinen gently criticizes (gasp!) some aspects of a recent trio performance by Joey Alexander, making a larger point as well:



Image


http://nyti.ms/1EAlfcr
peterdubya
Founding Member
Posts: 43
Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 4:11 pm

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby peterdubya » October 14th, 2015, 1:03 pm

Saw Joey perform on October 1, holy cow, he really was great! I was amazed at his maturity, inventiveness, and his chops.
Really incredible. An old soul!
User avatar
Ron Thorne
Fadda Timekeeper
Posts: 3072
Joined: June 27th, 2013, 4:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby Ron Thorne » October 18th, 2015, 9:30 pm

Peter, was he playing solo, or was it with a rhythm section?

I would love to see this young musician.
"Timing is everything" - Peppercorn
http://500px.com/rpthorne
peterdubya
Founding Member
Posts: 43
Joined: July 22nd, 2013, 4:11 pm

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby peterdubya » October 19th, 2015, 12:22 pm

He played with a trio, the drummer was on a little of his CD, both were young (not Joey young, but early 20's).

Joey was quite impressive.

I believe he'll be out again next summer.
User avatar
bluenoter
Concierge
Posts: 1514
Joined: July 1st, 2013, 1:37 am
Location: DC (Taxation Without Representation)

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby bluenoter » October 19th, 2015, 7:05 pm

peterdubya wrote:Saw Joey perform on October 1 . . .
peterdubya wrote:He played with a trio, the drummer was on a little of his CD, both were young (not Joey young, but early 20's). . . .

(I like to look things up sometimes.) :silly:

This was the trio for Joey's recent West Coast tour, including the October 1 concert, which was at Green Music Center, Sonoma State U:


Image
 
User avatar
bluenoter
Concierge
Posts: 1514
Joined: July 1st, 2013, 1:37 am
Location: DC (Taxation Without Representation)

Re: Joey Alexander

Postby bluenoter » January 4th, 2016, 7:02 pm

 
Image

CBSNews.com isn't one of the allowed sites for posting a player on JT, but you can watch the "Little Jazz Man" segment of last night's 60 Minutes here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/little-jazz-man/
 

Return to “Jazztalk Central”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests