Legendary jazz pianist Monty Alexander and the Harlem-Kingston Express band open the 2014-15 Jazz SLC series at the Capitol Theatre on Sept. 13.
Joining Alexander on stage will be upright bassist Hassan Shakur, percussionist Karl Wright, electrical bassist Joshua Thomas, drummer Obed Calvaire and guitarist Andy Bassford.
“It has been a few years since Monty has been back to the series, and we were thrilled when he was available as this season’s opening act," Jazz SLC founder Gordon Hanks said. "I think the audience will be absolutely thrilled with his new sound. It’s a high-octane sound that will have the crowd on their feet.”
The new sound Hanks refers to is Alexander’s recent exploration of his Jamaican roots in reggae, coupled with the classical elements of jazz.
“Although most of my professional life has been spent playing traditional jazz piano, I realized I needed to examine my own cultural heritage," Alexander said during a phone interview. "It was important for me to explore the deep roots of Jamaican reggae and see if I could integrate it into jazz. Both forms of this music are important to me, so I threw together a combo to unleash who I am. In a sense, I gave myself permission to allow me to be me.”
The album "Harlem-Kingston Express: Live!" garnered Alexander a 2012 Grammy Award nomination.
“I was so fortunate as a young musician. I never formally studied music, but I was blessed to have met some of the biggest names in the industry, and I learned so much from them," Alexander said. "I met Louis Armstrong, Nat Cole and Duke Ellington. I was just a kid and they always treated me with respect. I paid attention to them as artists and couldn’t help being influenced by all of them.”
In Alexander’s second release, "Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: River Rolls On," he continues to investigate the musicality of this jazz-reggae marriage.
“What I love about this is that even when we’re deep into the Jamaican, I can change at the drop of a hat and bring it back to jazz," he said.
“I was just in France and a man came up to talk with me after the concert. He’d been a fan since I started playing in Europe so many years ago. He just wanted to tell me how much the music meant to him. But the coolest thing was that he’d also brought his son with him and his grandson. Three generations of jazz lovers. It’s at times like that that I can’t believe I get paid for what I do.”
For a complete lineup of the 2014-15 Jazz SLC calendar visit jazzslc.com.
If you go ...
What: Monty Alexander and the Harlem-Kingston Express
When: Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Capitol Theatre (50 W. 200 South)
Tickets: Call 801-355-ARTS ($10 for students with photo identification)
Jeff Metcalf is a professor of English at the University of Utah and an avid jazz fan.