1. Come Fly With
Me 6:18 2. One Mint
Julep 5:54 3.
Renewal 6:45 4.
Sweet Georgia Brown 5:34 5. I Just Cant See For Lookin’ 8:58 6. Django 7:37 7. Body and Soul 6:54 8. Hope 7:07 --- Medley --- 9. Home 1:46 10. Fungii Mama 6:08
Personnel
Monty Alexander - piano Hassan Shakur - bass Herlin Riley - drums
Frits Landesbergen -drums (1,5,6)
Produced by:
John Lee Executive Producer: Lisa Broderick
Price: $10.00
The words “genius”, “piano”, “virtuoso”, and “jazz” are very
seldom used in the same sentence. Over the long history of
jazz these four words have only consistently appeared together
when discussing the work of Art Tatum, Nat King Cole, Erroll
Garner, Hank Jones, and Oscar Peterson. You can argue the case
for quite a few virtuoso jazz pianists of past and present,
but when their body of work is compared side by side, you will
always end up with the names of Tatum, Cole, Garner, Jones,
and Peterson on top.
What you are about to listen to is the sixth artist whose name
undoubtedly belongs next to the aforementioned legends. Like
Mr. Garner, he does not read traditional music. Like Mr.
Tatum, he displays a technique that is a once-in-a-lifetime
wonder to behold. Like Mr. Cole, his musical taste and lyrical
expression are second to no one alive. Like Mr. Jones, he
possesses an exquisite touch. And like Mr. Peterson, his
output of work (62 CDs as a leader) and his sense of drama,
timing and swing can only be described as extraordinary,
joyous, and incredibly moving. After one listen to this
collection of live performances, you will quickly realize that
these facts are undeniable—and that all men are NOT created
equal. Some men are simply touched by a higher force as a
great and profound gift for us all to savor.
In Hal
Leonard’s 2005 book The Greatest Jazz Pianists of All Time,
Mr. Alexander placed in the top five of all time. In his
homeland of Jamaica, he received the highest honor bestowed
upon an artist: Commander in the Order of Distinction, “for
outstanding services to Jamaica as a worldwide music
ambassador.”
He has spent the majority of his
distinguished career traveling the globe, performing in the
greatest concert halls on earth. Well known in more foreign
countries than I can list here, the American jazz fan has not
had as much occasion to witness his incredible mastery as they
should have. But so many performance offers have constantly
poured in from around the planet that we’ve had to share his
great artistry with the rest of the world.
We can thank
Frank Sinatra and his best friend Jilly Rizzo for hiring Monty
after he moved to the United States in 1961 at the age of
seventeen. It was at Jilly’s famed New York City nightclub
that Monty caught the ears of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington,
Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Milt “Bags” Jackson. It was
Bags that introduced him to the great bassist Ray Brown, and
the rest as they say, is history.
It has been an honor,
blessing, and great privilege to call this man my dear friend
for many years, and to produce this magnificent collection of
music for the rest of the world to enjoy. I personally feel
that this project is one of the finest I’ve ever been
associated with.
I must say, in my very humble opinion,
that this CD… is a masterpiece. Webster’s dictionary defines
the word UPLIFT as a verb: to lift up, elevate, improve the
spiritual, social, or intellectual condition. That is
Monty’s mission.
