Concrete Jungle: The Music of Bob Marley

Alexander was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica where he took his first piano lessons at age six. As a youngster, he was often invited to sit in with the bands of prominent musicians working in Jamaican nightclubs and hotels. During his teen years, he enjoyed, among others, the performances of Louis Armstrong and Nat "King" Cole at the Carib Theater in Jamaica . The shades of joyful gospel music in these artists' performances had a profound and lasting effect on Alexander's own style. He eventually formed a band called "Monty and the Cyclones," which landed several songs on the Jamaican music charts between 1958 to 1960.His next CD venture was released in 2000, "Monty Meets Sly and Robbie", an album featuring Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare ? reggae's most respected and experienced rhythm section. Then, he brought forth, "Goin' Yard" (2001), that was recorded live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Goin'Yard united Alexander with a six-piece band of Jamaica 's finest musicians, including special guest hand drummer Robert Thomas Jr. Another Alexander piece, "My America" (2002), includes guest appearances by guitarist John Pizzarelli and vocalists Freddy Cole and Kevin Mahogany.

Alexander joined the Telarc label with the 1999 release of "Stir It Up", an album that combined acoustic jazz and Jamaican reggae rhythm sections to interpret the music of the great Bob Marley. Alexander revisits his roots with Rocksteady, a collaborative album with reggae guitarist Ernest Ranglin scheduled for release on Telarc in April 2004. Now we have this jazz and reggae mix of piano brillance in "Concrete Jungle: The Music of Bob Marley". If anyone reading this enjoys jazz and want the reggae feel, please pick up this album. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

This album, from Telarc Recrods, is more of the calmer, piano rendition of Reggae music. On the first four tracks, you can really hear the Reggae influence in these Alexander pieces. For example the first song has more of a Caribbean flute, piano keyboard, and drum machine. This song along with selection #10 give the same overall feel of being on an tropical island. Track #2 thru #4 gave a real reggae sound with singing, horns (maybe trumpet), drums, keyboard and rhythmic drums make them complete. I got the most of my Bob Marley feel from selection 2 and 3. The remainder of this album is mostly a jazz feel with a variety of drum patterns to give it an overall relaxed multi-cultural type feel. The sounds are very slow with a "Charlie Brown" peanuts cartoon type of feel. None of this album is bad, it just matters what your taste is. Whether you want Bob Marley mixed with jazz overtones, or vise-versa, this album does not disappoint. In conclusion, Alexander's most important objective ? whether his vehicle is reggae or jazz or soul, small combo or symphony ? is to express the joy of music to all within earshot, regardless of prevailing differences in taste or culture.

Monty Alexander has a very interesting craft. By grafting the traditions of American jazz to his authentic Jamaican roots, pianist Monty Alexander has spent a lifetime exploring the rich depths of musical and cultural diversity. In a career that spans more than four decades, he has performed and/or recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe: Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare and many more.