A Joey Alexander Christmas (Motéma)

Joey Alexander

Released in 2018

Jazz FM 20 Contemporary Christmas Jazz Albums

YouTube:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mLbck0dYVR_URH1kYYGkEBG9aeT0nTZLg

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4CisyArxD3uGZOvNV5GM0J?si=VG4VvzT7Q_ycCwSLtHdA-Q

About:

An uplifting holiday recording that reflects Joey’s deep faith, spirituality and love of gospel music. Includes a never before released bonus track, a solo version of What A Wonderful World recorded in 2016 during the sessions for his album ‘Countdown’, and a remastered version of one of Joey’s most popular recordings, My Favorite Things, from his first album, of the same name released in 2016.

Track Listing:

1. O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) 05:01

2. What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Charles C. Converse) 05:21

3. My Favorite Things (Rodgers & Hammerstein) – (Remastered 2018) 06:15

4. What a Wonderful World (Bob Thiele, George David Weiss) – (2016 Countdown Sessions) 05:42

Personnel:

Joey Alexander: piano

Larry Grenadier: bass

Eric Harland: drums

Review:

Now 15, the still evolving prodigy Joey Alexander enjoys wide acceptance as one of the premier pianists in jazz. He now has five releases, he’s made videos and TV appearances, played at the White House, performed well in the DownBeat Readers Poll and earned three Grammy nominations. Given Alexander’s Christian faith, he has the incentive to make a Yule EP of thoughtfulness and substance. As expected, the four tracks here are considerably satisfying: “My Favorite Things” (a duet with bassist Larry Grenadier, taken from Alexander’s first album and now remastered); the carol “O Come All Ye Faithful” and the hymn “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” (both new trio recordings, with Alexander joined by Grenadier and drummer Eric Harland); and Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” (a previously unreleased solo track from the sessions for 2017 album Countdown). True to form, Alexander sounds the notes of depth, maturity, warm feeling, poignant subtlety and high pedigree imagination.

Frank-John Hadley (DownBeat)