MONTY ALEXANDER the Great '65 Pacific Jazz LP OOP debut

MONTY ALEXANDER ALEXANDER THE GREAT LPCategory / Style / Moods: Jazz * Bop * Hard Bop * Standards * Post-Bop * Calypso Moods Instruments * Freewheeling * Elegant * Sophisticated * Passionate * Playful * Laid-Back/ Mellow * Organic * Reserved * Amiable/ Good-Natured * Piano * Melodica * Producer24.77 / 2009-04-27 FP asocc1965 PACIFIC JAZZ US LPTITLE: ALEXANDER THE GREATARTIST: MONTY ALEXANDERCONDITIONCOVER: VG+VINYL: VG++Click here for info on grading and abbreviationsCLEAN OUT OF PRINT ORIGINAL DEBUT!Click the pix for a better view TRACKS: Disc: 11.John Brown's Body2.Jitterbug WaltzMaltby, Waller 3.Comin' Home Baby4.If I Were a Bell5.The Grabber6.Autumn LeavesKosma, Mercer, Prevert 7.I've Never Been in Love BeforeLoesser 8.Blues for JillyReview by Scott Yanow This out-of-print Pacific Jazz Lp was pianist Monty Alexander's first album, cut when he was 21. Even at that early stage, Alexander had very impressive technique and his Oscar Peterson-influenced style was starting to become distinctive. Performing live in Los Angeles with bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Paul Humphrey, Alexander is heard in top form on such songs as "John Brown's Body," "Comin' Home Baby," "If I Were A Bell" and "Autumn Leaves"; hopefully this enjoyable and somewhat historical set will be reissued on CD by Blue Note Biography by Scott Yanow Monty Alexander long ago combined together the influence of Oscar Peterson with the soul of Gene Harris and Nat "King" Cole to form his own appealing and personable style. Long a bit underrated (due to the shadow of Peterson), Alexander has recorded more than a score of excellent albums. Monty Alexander began piano lessons when he was six and he played professionally in Jamaican clubs while still a teenager; his band, Monty and the Cyclones, was quite popular locally during 1958-1960. He first played in the U.S. when he appeared in Las Vegas with Art Mooney's Orchestra. Soon he was accompanying a variety of top singers, formed a friendship with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and began gigging with bassist Ray Brown. With the recording of a pair of Pacific Jazz albums in 1965, an RCA date in 1967, and a Verve session in 1969, Alexander began to gain a strong reputation. His series of exciting albums for MPS during 1971-1977 found him in prime form, and his recordings in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s found him building on his original style. Alexander, who often pays tribute to his Jamaican heritage, performs regularly with his own trio and swings hard in his own voice. eventually. This exquisite piece of retro music history is a vinyl sound recording (not a CD). Please visit the A Sound Deal store for similar items and information on grading and shipping. Add me to your favorites for red hot sales bulletins and sneak previews of upcoming products. Combine Items to Save $$$! Click here to check the store for more!�A Sound Deal