“Improvisation is a big part of what I do, making it up on the spot,” he said. Whether it’s an original composition or a cover version of a famous jazz tune, Joey said he never plays a piece the same way twice. For me, jazz can be swing, it can be blues, but improvisation is the most important thing.” “It helps me to express myself, to be myself. When Joey got his own miniature piano, he said, he learned to play by ear.Īlthough he loved all kinds of music, Joey said he immediately was drawn to jazz. He learned about jazz listening to his father’s albums and hearing him play piano and guitar. Joey was born Josiah Alexander Sila on June 25, 2003, to parents who loved classical music and jazz. Sunday at Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. The Joey Alexander Trio will be in concert at 7 p.m. After all, he just turned 13 and still goes to school. He also has appeared on numerous television programs from “The Today Show” to “60 Minutes.” In 2015 he released an album that was nominated for two Grammys.Īll this, and Joey also manages to do his homework on a timely basis. Joey now fronts his own ensemble, The Joey Alexander Trio, which has performed throughout the world. By age 10, Joey was performing at jazz festivals in Jakarta and Copenhagen, culminating in an invitation from jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to make a debut appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. At age 8, he was invited by UNESCO to play solo piano for Herbie Hancock during the jazz piano great’s visit to Indonesia.Īt age 9, Joey won grand prize at the first Master-Jam Fest, an all-ages competition in the Ukraine, which had 200 competitors from 17 countries. A native of the island of Bali in Indonesia, Joey began jamming with veteran musicians in Bali and Jakarta, developing a sense of musicianship and grasp of jazz fundamentals at a stunning pace. “I love Monk’s music I learned a lot from him,” Joey said. Listening to his father’s extensive record collection, Joey immediately was able to pick out the melody of “Well, You Needn’t,” by the great jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. Like the famous 18th century classical composer, Joey began playing music at an early age - specifically age 6, when his father gave him a mini electronic keyboard to keep him busy. It took a long time for people to understand what he was trying to say.It’s not much of a stretch to call Joey Alexander the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart of jazz music. Read the story of the great Thelonious Monk. Keep playing, keep listening and keep improving…never give up. My dad gave me understanding about this so I know it is normal for people to doubt. What advice do you have for kids, or even adults, who might feel underestimated?Ī: Well, first of all, I’m not “great” and I would say to them, “never feel underestimated,” even though it sounds and looks like it. Q: I’m sure that for a lot of people, seeing a kid your age play how you play seems like a novelty, until they actually hear you and see how great you are. Q: Who is the biggest hero of yours, someone you have worked with? Q: Tell me about jazz as personal expression.Ī: I love jazz because it connects me with this great tradition, and also allows me to tell my own stories and put my personality into my arrangements and, of course, improvisation. Q: What was it that first drew you to piano, and especially to jazz?Ī: I love the sound of a piano and I love the freedom in jazz. Were you nervous at all?Īnswer: Oh yes… the venue was so big and this is a new experience for me. Question: Your Grammy performance was pretty thrilling, because you seemed so confident. The very busy young man answered some questions for us about the Grammys, his jazz-fueled inspirations, and his musical hero. He’ll be bringing that virtuosity to Festival of the Arts Boca Raton on Friday, March 11, along with his trio. The Indonesian-born piano prodigy, recently performed an original composition, “City Lights,” at the Grammy Awards, where he was nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, garnering a standing ovation from the fancy crowd. It’s likely you can’t say “yes” to the third question, unless you’re 12-year-old Joey Alexander. What were your middle school performances like? Did they involve some sort of group singing of “Jingle Bells?” Some now-regrettable and dubiously rhymed poetry? Were Herbie Hancock and Common in the room, smiling and doing the approving jazz head bop while you played?
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