Joey Alexander coming to MPAC

MORRISTOWN — Three-time Grammy nominee, jazz pianist Joey Alexander comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $29-$59.
Joey Alexander started turning heads before he was 10. Learning by listening with no formal training, Joey quickly developed an authoritative technique, and with his depth of musicality, has gone to perform on the Grammys, at Lincoln Center and prominent jazz festivals worldwide.
Born on June 25, 2003 on the island of Bali, Alexander originally learned about jazz from his dad, who exposed his son to a variety of classical albums from his extensive collection. At the age of six, Joey began teaching himself to play piano using a mini electronic keyboard given to him by his father. He was immediately able to pick out the melody of Monk's "Well, You Needn't," but he didn't stop there. Joey's dad nurtured his gift of swing and improvisation by taking him to jam sessions with veteran musicians in Bali and Jakarta.
Joey's musicianship and grasp of jazz fundamentals developed at a remarkable pace, and at age eight UNESCO invited him to play solo piano for an elated Herbie Hancock during the piano great's visit to Indonesia. Joey later remarked to Hancock, "you told me that you believed in me, and that was the day I decided to dedicate my childhood to jazz."
At nine, Joey won the grand prize at the first Master-Jam Fest, an all-ages competition in Ukraine which included 200 competitors from 17 countries. By 10, he was performing at jazz festivals in both Jakarta and Copenhagen. An invitation from Wynton Marsalis led to his U.S. debut appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall in 2014 where he amazed the audience with his musicality, followed by appearances before the Jazz Foundation of America at the Apollo and the Arthur Ashe Learning Center at Gotham Hall. Wishing to encourage the continued development of Joey's prodigious playing, his parents sold the family business in Jakarta and relocated to the United States. Success did not arrive overnight, however. Promoters were skeptical that an 11-year-old could drive substantial ticket sales and captivate discerning jazz audiences, but soon recognized his ability to absolutely delight audiences despite the challenges associated with learning a new language. With an invitation from impresario George Wein for Joey to perform on two stages at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival, Joey brought audiences to their feet with his playful musicality and keen sense of swing.
Media interest in Joey has resulted in appearances and interviews for The Today Show, 60 Minutes, CNN, The New York Times, and a host of other television, radio and print media. This has fueled a rare level of public notoriety for Joey as a jazz musician, entirely unheard of for one his age, both within the jazz community and among the public at large.
His debut album for Motema Music, My Favorite Things, garnered two Grammy nominations for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album" and "Best Improvised Solo" for his performance of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps", making him the youngest jazz artist ever nominated for a Grammy. His performances on the 58th Annual Grammy Awards broadcast received standing ovations from the star-studded audience, bringing his talent to the attention of music lovers everywhere, mesmerizing long-time industry professionals and inspiring other young musicians to pursue their own dreams.
Through all this, Joey has remained humble and focused on developing as a player and pursuing his growing interest in composing. His highly-anticipated sophomore album Countdown (released in September 2016 on Motema Music) resulted in a 3rd Grammy nomination at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for "Best Improvised Solo" for the title track, and showcases Joey's remarkable development as a contemporary jazz bandleader and promise as a composer. He develops fresh takes on well-known tunes, combining them seamlessly with his own original compositions in a way which invites both new and seasoned listeners in, and reflects the true emotional heart and soul of his musical personality.
Wynton Marsalis says of Joey, "There has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age. I love everything about his playing - his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of the music." Now, as he enters his teen years, Joey takes another step in charting his artistic direction with the release of Countdown.
"You know, I love both creating music in the studio and performing for people on stage," Joey says, "but I have to admit there's something special about getting a crowd excited by playing jazz live. In most situations, I try to be calm, but I love the intense energy that happens between me and the audience.When they express their appreciation in this way, I am inspired to go deeper as a person and musician, improve my craft and create exciting new sounds."
Building upon the swing and improvisational style that made his first project a critical and popular success, Countdown reflects the growth and maturity of Joey Alexander as an artist, and a confident next-step toward a limitless future.
For more information, please visit: http://joeyalexandermusic.com/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP9GKAbvDxLBqCcEaw4HDiw