Recorded when he was 11, Alexander’s debut album, “My Favorite Things,” was mind-blowing. He performed Hancock’s composition “Sonrisa.” “It is very special and rich, and I can have a conversation with other musicians and have the freedom to express myself.”īy age 9, he won the Grand Prix at the first Master-Jam Festival, an all-ages jazz competition in Ukraine, featuring musicians from 17 nations. I want to keep sharing my gift with others, and I never want to stop playing and learning.“It was all a process of listening and playing with people for me to truly love this American art form,” he said about his passion for jazz. “I want to compose more music, record more albums and keep playing the music I love,” he said.
His debut album, 2015’s “My Favorite Things,” is a combination of original music and covers of jazz classics such as “Round Midnight,” “Giant Steps” and “Lush Life.” His second album, “Countdown,” released last fall, was nominated for a Grammy this year for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" for the title track.Įven though at age 13 he’s accomplished enough for three lifetimes, Joey envisions a long career and vows never to stop learning to be a better musician. Joey also is developing as a composer of original jazz tunes. “It’s not that hard to balance things,” he said. He’s been performing and touring ever since - as well as keeping up with school assignments. Joey performed at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival, bringing audiences to their feet with his musicality and sense of rhythm and swing. Then I record it, and that’s how I remember it.”Īfter Joey drew acclaim for his jazz prowess in New York City, performing not only at Lincoln Center but at the Jazz Foundation of America at the Apollo and the Arthur Ashe Learning Center at Gotham Hall, his parents sold the family business in Jakarta and relocated to the U.S. “Improvisation is a big part of what I do, making it up on the spot,” he said.
Whether it’s an original composition or a cover version of a famous jazz tune, Joey said he never plays a piece the same way twice. For me, jazz can be swing, it can be blues, but improvisation is the most important thing.” “It helps me to express myself, to be myself. When Joey got his own miniature piano, he said, he learned to play by ear.Īlthough he loved all kinds of music, Joey said he immediately was drawn to jazz. He learned about jazz listening to his father’s albums and hearing him play piano and guitar. Joey was born Josiah Alexander Sila on June 25, 2003, to parents who loved classical music and jazz. Sunday at Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. The Joey Alexander Trio will be in concert at 7 p.m. After all, he just turned 13 and still goes to school. He also has appeared on numerous television programs from “The Today Show” to “60 Minutes.” In 2015 he released an album that was nominated for two Grammys.Īll this, and Joey also manages to do his homework on a timely basis. Joey now fronts his own ensemble, The Joey Alexander Trio, which has performed throughout the world. By age 10, Joey was performing at jazz festivals in Jakarta and Copenhagen, culminating in an invitation from jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to make a debut appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. At age 9, Joey won grand prize at the first Master-Jam Fest, an all-ages competition in the Ukraine, which had 200 competitors from 17 countries.
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