Monty Alexander - That's The Way It Is (mp3)

Monty Alexander's Live at the Iridium, released yesterday, is amazing, full of noisy, rambling improvisation that you don't see coming.

That's the Way It Is is a blues jazz tune, full of satisfying turnarounds and licks, all in a neat little four minute package. This track isn't representative of the album, which has longer jazz compositions that come apart and then pull back together again, with flurries of brilliant, inspired improv moments. I'm posting this one because I love me some jazz blues piana, and the other songs just have too many notes.

Richard Ludmerer, director of the NY Jazz & Blues Society, wrote:

Monty Alexander is a Jamaican born jazz pianist who left his home in the early 1960's. A consummate musician, he has collaborated with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Frank Sinatra. This recording captures Monty "Live at The Iridium", the New York City Jazz club, in May of 2004. In a classic trio with bassist Hassan Shakur, and drummer Mark Taylor (and with occasional additional percussion by Robert Thomas Jr.), Monty performs a wonderful set and reminds us why we listen to music.

Monty Alexander - That's the Way It Is (mp3)