Monty Alexander
Monty meets Sly and Robbie
Telarc
What happens when a Jamaican jazz pianist meets up with two of the island’s heaviest hitters? Not the jumbled muddle that you may expect. On the contrary, Alexander’s classy style meshes well with reggae’s most famous rhythm section, strolling through standards like “Chameleon,” “The In Crowd,” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.” Indeed, the trio sticks close to well-known jazz numbers, and does so in an almost straightforward manner, rather than the dub excess which would have been natural to expect (and fear). Very nicely done.
Telarc, 728 41st St., Apt. 4A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
