Monty Alexander
Monty Alexander is an underrated pianist extraordinaire with a musical career spanning five decades as well as in multiple genres and styles.
Monty Alexander was born June 6, 1944 in Kingston Jamaica. He was mostly self taught, and took his first piano lesson at the age of six. As a teenager he was often invited to sit in with the bands of prominent musicians working in Jamaican night clubs and hotels like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole. The shows inspired him to start his own band. In the late 1950’s he formed his own band that played with Bob Marley’s first backing band. Monty and his family moved to the US in 1961 and in less than 2 years Frank Sinatra hired him to work at the NY club Jilly’s. There he met Milt Jackson, Charlie Parker, and Ray Brown. He went on to perform with Ray Brown and Milt Jackson on many occasions. He’s collaborated with many jazz greats such as Natalie Cole and Bobby McFerrin and he recorded the sound track of the film score of Clint Eastwood’s movie “Bird” the story of Charlie Parker. He continues to record and perform and 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.
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