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Joey Alexander // My Favorite Things
This 11-year-old pianst is making headlines and creating albums, all while being covered by Today and New York Times.
June 24, 2015 at 5:30 AM
Joey Alexander
My Favorite Things
Motema
4.5/5
Move over Wolfgang, Pablo, and the rest of you famous prodigies and make room for the newest guy in the club, 11-year-old Indonesian jazz pianist Joey Alexander. Already on the Today show and the subject of a feature story on the New York Times front page, Joey's an early sensation. He's at No. 3 on the jazzweek.com chart behind veteran piano stars Harold Mabern and Cyrus Chestnut. Plaudits well deserved, as proven by Alexander's often exceptional playing, mostly solo, but with a copasetic trio on several numbers. Unlike most very young jazz pianists, Alexander does not come off as a technique show off, racing up and down the keyboard. Instead, on a well-chosen program of jazz classics and standards, he is thoughtful, sensitive, and inventive. He displays a delicate touch, dexterity, dynamic contrast, and overall adult skill and maturity on "Over the Rainbow," "On Green Dolphin Street," "Lush Life," "Giant Steps," the title tune, and more. It's a wonderful listen. – Bob Protzman