Countdown – Joey Alexander

by | Jun 12, 2017 | Trio, Video

Joey Alexander must be experienced.  Words don’t do it.  He is a 13 year old from Indonesia, who taught himself to play the piano at age 6 by listening to his dad’s jazz records.  The word ‘prodigy’ isn’t really strong enough … he plays, composes, and can take apart and reassemble a song on the fly, on the spot!  He’s a bit of Bill Evans, a smattering of Chick Corea and a whole lot of Joey.  This is an in-studio performance of the title track from his latest album, together with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.  Fasten your seatbelt, and plan to see many more postings of this astonishing young jazz musician here on Mark Of Jazz!

Autumn Leaves / Pete Kelly’s Blues – Beegie Adair

by | May 16, 2017 | Trio, Video

The Beegie Adair Trio provides a gentle swinging version of the jazz classic “Autumn Leaves,” written by Joseph Kosma (English lyric by Johnny Mercer), live at the Nashville Jazz Workshop in Nashville, Tennessee.  Listen for the way bassist Roger Spencer throws a few bars of “Suicide Is Painless” from M*A*S*H* into his solo!

Beegie is a huge but lesser known talent who never fully received the recognition she deserves.  She has been playing piano since the age of five … originally from Kentucky, she now lives in Nashville. Her rendition of “Pete Kelly’s Blues” (one of my favorites) is the best I’ve heard outside of the movie soundtrack.

C-A-G – Billy Taylor

by | Apr 14, 2017 | Trio, Video

An original Billy Taylor composition, recorded in 2001 with Billy on piano, Chip Jackson on bass, and Steve Johns on drums.  The tune was written to show what can be done using only the title chord and its three basic notes C, A and G, masterfully manipulated throughout the song.