Monty Alexander • Uplift

Review by Ken Dryden

During his long career, pianist Monty Alexander excelled in trio settings, and he's primarily heard in this collection of live performances at various venues with two different groups, with these recordings all coming from his personal archives. Kicking off with an inspired, upbeat "Come Fly with Me" (forever associated with vocalist Frank Sinatra), Alexander seems in a jovial mood throughout most of the CD. He has a lot of fun with "Sweet Georgia Brown," opening with a bit of stride before shifting into a wild ride incorporating some Thelonious Monk-like dissonance, but in the typical uptempo setting favored by Oscar Peterson. His interpretation of John Lewis' "Django" retains its standard dramatic introduction; then he subtly swings it with a brief detour into "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," adding a bluesy air to it. At times, he inserts licks from a number of different songs à la Art Tatum or Dorothy Donegan, especially in the unusually hilarious setting of "Body and Soul." The closing medley begins with Alexander's sentimental ballad "Home," then segues into a lively, calypso-flavored performance of Blue Mitchell's "Fungii Mama." Alexander's Uplift is well-named, as these live recordings represent some of his best work from his half-century as a professional jazz pianist.

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Revisión por Ken Dryden

Durante su larga carrera, el pianista Monty Alexander se destacó en la configuración de trío, y se le escucha principalmente en esta colección de actuaciones en vivo en varios lugares con dos grupos diferentes, y todas estas grabaciones provienen de sus archivos personales. Comenzando con un inspirado y optimista "Come Fly with Me" (asociado para siempre con el vocalista Frank Sinatra), Alexander parece estar de mal humor durante la mayor parte del CD. Se divierte mucho con "Sweet Georgia Brown", abriendo con un poco de paso antes de cambiar a un viaje salvaje que incorpora algo de disonancia similar a Thelonious Monk, pero en el entorno típico uptempo preferido por Oscar Peterson. Su interpretación de "Django" de John Lewis conserva su introducción dramática estándar; luego lo balancea sutilmente con un breve desvío hacia "Suavemente, como en un amanecer matutino", agregándole un aire azul. A veces, inserta frases de varias canciones diferentes a la Art Tatum o Dorothy Donegan, especialmente en el entorno inusualmente hilarante de "Cuerpo y alma". El popurrí de cierre comienza con la balada sentimental de Alexander "Home", luego se convierte en una animada actuación con sabor a calypso de "Fungii Mama" de Blue Mitchell. Alexander Uplift tiene un buen nombre, ya que estas grabaciones en vivo representan algunos de sus mejores trabajos de su medio siglo como pianista de jazz profesional.

www.montyalexander.com ...

Tracks:
01. Come Fly With Me
02. One Mint Julep
03. Renewal
04. Sweet Georgia Brown
05. I Just Cant See For Lookin’
06. Django
07. Body and Soul
08. Hope
09. Home
10. Fungii Mama

Monty Alexander (Piano);
Hassan Shakur (Acoustic bass);
Herlin Riley (Drums);
Frits Landesbergen (Drums: 1,5,6).

Notes:
Recorded at various concert halls from around the globe, between 2007 - 2010.


Label: Jazz Legacy Productions ‎– 1001012
Released: 2011
Genre: Jazz
Style: Contemporary Jazz








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