Monty Alexander - The Good Life: Monty Alexander Plays The Songs Of Tony Bennett '2008

Tracks list

Monty Alexander has always been a fine jazz pianist, but in recent years he has
received more popular acclaim for interpreting the reggae music of his native
Jamaica. While his reggae efforts are well done, straight-ahead jazz and
interpreting standards are really his forte. For The Good Life, Alexander has
chosen to riff on tunes from the repertoire of Tony Bennett – not the
most popular or well-known, or even written by the singer – but a good
cross section of his set list over the decades. The Chicago-based rhythm team of
veteran drummer George Fludas and up-and-coming bassist Lorin Cohen (cousin and
bandmate of pianist Ryan Cohan) gives Alexander all the supple support and equal
dynamism his playing demands. Its safe to say that listeners will enjoy the more
refined, easy swinging numbers such as Smile, the light bossa treatment of Maybe
September, and the tender ballad Emily. This is what the elegant Alexander does
best, playing round midnight affirmations, romantic advances, and subtle
harmonies. But as the CD hums along, the pianist becomes more assertive –
the kind of animation Alexander is always capable of but rarely shows –
as on Just in Time, where he trades phrases with Fludas, displays energy, and
digs in. The trio does Put on a Happy Face in a loping, crafted manner, seasoned
by the years, and presents a doleful blues on I Wanna Be Around, which is the
tune most identified with Bennett. A little Latin spice bumps up the traipsing
That Old Devil Moon, and a horse-trot rhythm courtesy of Fludas inspires The
Good Life. As in the tradition of Chesky Records, this session was recorded with
a single 360-degree microphone, done at St. Peters Episcopal Church in N.Y.C.,
and the sound is pristine. Turn up the volume a few notches to hear the
precious, full, rich, bountiful sound Alexander and his group are putting down.
~Allmusic

Tracks:

01. Old Devil Moon (5:32)
02. To the Good Life (5:07)
03. Smile (7:09)
04. Maybe September (6:10)
05. The Way You Look Tonight (6:40)
06. Just a Little Street (3:38)
07. Just in Time (4:19)
08. Emily (3:06)
09. Put on a Happy Face (6:05)
10. I Want to Be Around (4:39)
11. Once Upon a Time (3:17)
12. Because of You (2:27)

Personnel:

Bass – Lorin Cohen
Drums – George Fludas
Piano – Monty Alexander
Producer – David Chesky

Related artists