Monty Meets Sly and Robbie

Monty Meets Sly and Robbie

For much of his career, the Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander has been swinging jazz rhythms and dropping Jamaican "riddims." <I>Monty Alexander Meets Sly and Robbie</I> combines his Nat "King" Cole/Bill Doggett-influenced pianisms with longtime friends Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, whose signature drum machine programming, booming bass lines, and ambient sound effects provided the sonic signature of dancehall music--the forerunner of rap and hip-hop. Alexander and this dynamic duo, augmented by keyboardist Handel Tucker, "Jamaicanize" several soul-jazz classics--including Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder," Bobby Timmons's "Moanin'," and Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon"--into a unique worldbeat statement. The CD also features Alexander's own island-breezed compositions, "Monty's Groove," "Do the Kool Step," and "Hot Milk"--the lattermost highlighting the leader's plaintive melodic playing. The standout track on the recording, a moving rendition of the Stylistics' hit, "People Make the World Go Round," offers funky and folkloric proof that music from the English-speaking Caribbean has rich possibilities for jazz improvisation. <I>--Eugene Holley Jr.</I>