Monty Alexander: In his own words
Series: Musicians in their own words
From: David Schulman
Length: 00:07:10
- Playing
- Monty Alexander: In his own words
- From
- David Schulman
Monty Alexander broke in as a session pianist at the same place where Bob Marley made his first records -- Studio One, in Kingston, Jamaica. By the time he was 17, he'd moved to the United States, where jazz bassist Ray Brown took him under his wing. Alexander quickly became known as a fluid and entertaining player of straight-ahead jazz.
Now that he's 60, there are few musicians who can match Alexander's youthful energy for bringing together different styles, and who do it with such heart and style. In this feature Alexander weaves a story that somehow brings together Sly & Robbie, Louis Armstong, Bob Marley and -- yes -- Roy Rogers.
As in all the pieces in David Schulman's CPB-supported Musicians in their own words series, the story is told through a mix of the performer's voice and music. There is no reporter's voice heard, allowing the feature to be seamlessly incorporated into station news, talk, or music programming.
Three mixes are provided for programming flexibility. For most purposes, the 6:10 'prime' mix is recommended. A 7:05 full mix and a 4:35 short mix also are provided. Scripts for intro and outro are attached, and may be edited at will.
This features does not duplicate any material heard in Monty Alexander: ENCORE ... on Bob Marley's Redemption Song.
This piece works well pegged to local performances. Alexander's tour schedule includes:
10/1and 10/2, Smoke Jazz Club, New York
10/29 Gainesville Friends of Jazz Series, Gainesville, FL
11/9 to 11/14, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York
This piece debuts on PRX.
Also in the Musicians in their own words series
Ron Carter: In his own words
(00:07:27)
From: David Schulman
Ron Carter is an icon of jazz. He has played his bass on more than 2000 albums. His name, however, is most vividly linked with Miles Davis. Carter's searching bass lines ...
Stephane Wrembel and "The Tao of Django"
(00:10:33)
From: David Schulman
Stephane Wrembel isn't a conventional guitar hero. But his star is rising fast nonetheless. He wrote music for the last two Woody Allen films, including the Oscar-winning ...
Benny Golson: a Jazz legend in his own words
(00:05:46)
From: David Schulman
The man who wrote some of the best known standards in jazz reflects on a career that included writing "Killer Joe," talking his way into the great Art Blakey band, quitting ...
Cyro Baptista: in his own words
(00:07:06)
From: David Schulman
Cyro Baptista in his percussion garage ...
A musicians' guide to warming up
(00:04:30)
From: David Schulman
What do you do to warm up? With Gillian Welch, Lang Lang, Cecilia Bartoli, Albert Kuvezin, Yo-Yo Ma ...
Cecilia Bartoli: In her own words
(00:04:11)
From: David Schulman
One of the world's great operatic singers explores what it means to approach the human voice as an instrument -- like a trumpet or violin.
Bo Diddley: in his own words (in memory)
(00:07:37)
From: David Schulman
A late-career portrait of one of rock-and-roll's legendary creators.
Gillian Welch ENCORE: In her own words
(00:02:45)
From: David Schulman
Gillian Welch reconsiders the fate of a fallen American hero: Elvis Presley.
Poncho Sanchez: In his own words
(00:03:16)
From: David Schulman
Even without a conga drum handy, a master of Latin Jazz finds a way to demonstrate the essence of the mambo.
Piece Description
Monty Alexander broke in as a session pianist at the same place where Bob Marley made his first records -- Studio One, in Kingston, Jamaica. By the time he was 17, he'd moved to the United States, where jazz bassist Ray Brown took him under his wing. Alexander quickly became known as a fluid and entertaining player of straight-ahead jazz. Now that he's 60, there are few musicians who can match Alexander's youthful energy for bringing together different styles, and who do it with such heart and style. In this feature Alexander weaves a story that somehow brings together Sly & Robbie, Louis Armstong, Bob Marley and -- yes -- Roy Rogers. As in all the pieces in David Schulman's CPB-supported Musicians in their own words series, the story is told through a mix of the performer's voice and music. There is no reporter's voice heard, allowing the feature to be seamlessly incorporated into station news, talk, or music programming. Three mixes are provided for programming flexibility. For most purposes, the 6:10 'prime' mix is recommended. A 7:05 full mix and a 4:35 short mix also are provided. Scripts for intro and outro are attached, and may be edited at will. This features does not duplicate any material heard in Monty Alexander: ENCORE ... on Bob Marley's Redemption Song. This piece works well pegged to local performances. Alexander's tour schedule includes: 10/1and 10/2, Smoke Jazz Club, New York 10/29 Gainesville Friends of Jazz Series, Gainesville, FL 11/9 to 11/14, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York This piece debuts on PRX.
Broadcast History
This piece debuts on PRX.
Transcript
Keywords: Monty Alexander, Bob Marley, Ray Brown, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Ernie Ranglin, Louis Armstrong, Roy Rogers, jazz piano, melodica, childhood, reggae, Jamaica, Musicians in their own words, WUNC, David Schulman
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
Piece Title:
Monty Alexander: In his own words
Three mixes are provided, for flexibility. Tape time for
the full mix is 7:05. The prime mix, recommended for
most uses, is 6:10, and A short mix is provided that clocks in at 4:35.
All mixes end with a:14 music tail.
Add approx 1:00 for intro/outro
TAPE IN: (starts with music) "When you say rhythm ...."
TAPE OUT: Ends with :14 music tail
Last spoken words: "...play for the people."
Musical Works
All excerpts performed by Monty Alexander. Selections include "No Woman No Cry," by Bob Marley; "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Joe Zawinul, performed with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare; "Don'te Fence Me In" by Cole Porter; and "Mack the Knife," by Kurt Weill, Berthold Brecht and Marc Blitzstein.
Additional Files
- (description) (MontyAlexanderPRXscript)



