衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

Approximately nine years ago, a video gained popularity within the jazz community: it featured an 11-year-old boy skillfully performing John COLTRANE's masterpiece, "Giant Steps." This piece, widely recognized for its complexity, demands a highly rapid tempo and frequent harmonic progression changes, challenging musicians' improvisational abilities. Despite his young age, the boy in the video adeptly navigated the theme and transitioned into improvisation, impressing seasoned jazz musicians with his advanced musical language and remarkable talent.

The young boy, Joey ALEXANDER, was born in Indonesia in 2003. Lacking formal professional music education, he relied solely on his father's jazz records for self-guided learning. Alexander's prodigious musical abilities were soon acknowledged, and in 2014, he received an invitation from Wynton MARSALIS, the music director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, to perform. The subsequent accolades garnered attention within the jazz world, resulting in a steady stream of performance opportunities.

Joey ALEXANDER's success was not fleeting, as often with child prodigies. By 16, he had already earned three Grammy nominations and continued to push his boundaries. Now 20 years old, ALEXANDER has released six albums and leads his piano trio on global tours, in addition to his performance and composition work.

Despite his youth, the internationally renowned Joey ALEXANDER possesses the soul of a seasoned jazz musician. His playing is characterized by delicacy, precision, and maturity, exhibiting a focused demeanor that belies his age. There is no trace of arrogance resulting from his early success; instead, one can only see his genial smile, humility, and sincerity in the presence of music.

  Pre-talk  

2023/9/9(Sat)19:00 Concert Hall 3F

  Program  

Angel Eyes

Bali

Stella by Starlight

Cinema Paradiso

Warna

Blue

Blackbird

Summer Rising

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

Remembering

Sunday Waltz

  Creative and Production Team  

Piano｜Joey ALEXANDER

Bass｜Kris FUNN

Drums｜Jonathan BARBER

  Artists Introduction  

Piano｜Joey ALEXANDER

Born in Bali, Indonesia, Joey ALEXANDER has been performing professionally since 2013 when he was invited by Wynton MARSALIS to perform at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala. Alexander subsequently moved to New York City and released his debut album, My Favorite Things, in 2015 on Motéma Music, followed by three more on the label and a fifth on Verve. Alexander's albums have netted three GRAMMY® Award nominations – one for Best Jazz Instrumental Album (My Favorite Things), and two for Best Improvised Jazz Solo ("Giant Steps," from My Favorite Things, and "Countdown" from the album of the same name) – with My Favorite Things and Countdown securing the No. 1 spot on the Billboard jazz charts and Eclipse coming at No. 3.

Over the course of his astonishing career, Alexander has performed with Wayne SHORTER and Esperanza SPALDING at the Obama White House, for President Bill CLINTON at the Arthur Ashe Learning Center Gala, at the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo Theater, and Carnegie Hall and at major jazz festivals and night clubs around the world. He has also been the subject of profiles on 60 Minutes and The New York Times. Origin is Alexander's first album for Mack Avenue Records and was released May 20, 2022.

Bass｜Kris FUNN

Kristopher FUNN began playing the trumpet at age four and took up the double bass at age 14 upon entering high school. Through the instruction of his father, Charles FUNN, Kristopher performed his first professional bass gig the same year he began learning the instrument. Other early accomplishments included winning the "unsung hero" at the Fish Middleton jazz competition at the East Coast Jazz Festival also in the first year of instruction. At age 18, Kristopher attended Howard University to study Computer Science while also performing in the Howard University Jazz Ensemble for two years. After graduating with an honors degree in computer science, he decided to pursue a career as a professional jazz musician, performing in several venues in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan areas.

At age 23, Kristopher began touring internationally with alto saxophonist Kenny GARRETT. Since then, he has traveled to every major jazz festival in the world touching six continents performing with artists including Christian SCOTT, Joey ALEXANDER, Sean JONES, Kamasi WASHINGTON, Benny GOLSON, Bruce WILLIAMS, Nicholas PAYTON, Warren WOLF, Pharoah SANDERS, Jeff LORBER and many others. Kristopher appears on several recordings including the Grammy nominated albums The Emancipation Procrastination, Ancestral Recall, and Axiom by Christian SCOTT. Kristopher released his debut album, Cornerstore, in 2017 and he continues to perform professionally in the Baltimore / Washington D.C. area when not touring internationally. Since 2018, Kristopher is part of the jazz faculty at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins.

Drums｜Jonathan BARBER

New York City-based Jonathan BARBER was voted the #1 Up-and-Coming Drummer of 2018 in Modern Drummer. Only 29 years old, he has already recorded and toured worldwide with such artists as Pat METHENY, Nicholas PAYTON, Buster WILLIAMS, Jeremy PELT, Wallace RONEY, Terrace MARTIN, Jennifer HOLLIDAY, Harold MABERN, Steve DAVIS, Stefon HARRIS, and many more. Barber has also been called on for such significant performances as Jimmy GREENE's Ana Grace Project (with an all-star band comprised of GREENE, Kenny BARRON, John PATITUCCI, and Kurt ELLING) and back-to-back sold-out concerts with the Brooklyn Philharmonic and Erykah Badu at the BAM Opera House.

In addition to his first-call status as a sideman, BARBER has recently stepped forth as a composer and leader with his Vision Ahead band, featuring saxophonist Godwin LOUIS, guitarist Andrew RENFROE, bassist Matt DWONSZYK, and pianist Taber GABLE. Even with BARBER's history of high-profile gigs and recordings taken into consideration, DownBeat magazine calls Vision Ahead's self-titled debut album his "greatest accomplishment to date." Released on Rockwood Music Hall's largest stage in May 2018, Vision Ahead is a powerful declaration of intent for a band that's been making waves on the modern jazz scene since its debut performance at Smalls Jazz Club. The group's blend of classic, swinging jazz with elements of gospel, rock, soul, and fusion is a compelling showcase of BARBER's broad stylistic range as a composer and performer. Jonathan BARBER & Vision Ahead was featured and headline the 2018 Rainy Days Jazz Festival held in St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia. 

Born in Hartford, CT, BARBER has been playing drums since the age of five, initially falling in love with the instrument through watching his father perform in the family church. BARBER's upbringing in the church instilled within him a deep appreciation of the power, passion, and full sound of the gospel music tradition, and he now brings its infectious energy to the wide range of styles in his musical toolkit. Early influences also includes beginning George DUKE, Fred HAMMOND, Yellowjackets and Commissioned, and classic jazz titans like Miles DAVIS, Jackie Mclean, Art BLAKEY, John COLTRANE, Charlie PARKER, Tony WILLIAMS and Thelonious MONK. With soul, impeccable groove, and explosive chops, BARBER has synthesized his favorite traditions into a thoroughly modern and endlessly adaptable musical expression that connects with listeners from across generations.

In September 2019, BARBER completed his first solo drum tour in Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina). BARBER endorses Ludwig Drums, Istanbul Agop Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Promark Drumsticks, and Sunhouse Percussion.

"I recognize my God given gift. Maximizing this gift to its full potential is the best thing you can do for yourself. Operating in this gift is how you give back to the world."