Joey Alexander: piano, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron
Theo Croker: trumpet (tracks 1,2,3,5)
Kris Funn: upright bass
John Davis: drums
It’s hard to believe that Joey Alexander is 20 years old. He made a huge splash when he came to the US at the tender age of 10 from his native home of Indonesia. His first decade of work has resulted in 7 albums, all of which have received well-deserved acclaim. But now he’s 20, so the well-worn moniker “child prodigy” doesn’t really apply anymore. His technical prowess and musicality was powerfully evident right from the start, but in recent years his compositional skills have drawn an equal amount of attention. This album is no exception with all but 2 gospel standards coming from his pen.
Funn and Davis are exquisite and make for much more than a standard rhythm section. Croker’s trumpet adds a splendid melodic layer as well. While Joey has always sounded astonishingly mature for his age, this release presents a musician who no longer needs or deserves to be called a child prodigy. His decade of experience as a professional jazz man has brought us to a beautiful point, and I can only hope that we will get to enjoy his work for many more decades!
Jim's Jazz Notes 