The transition during early adolescence from prodigiousness to adult artistry is often a struggle for the one-time prodigy. Youth however is quickly lost, and the effects of this loss can be devastating for the once-prodigy, who will often suddenly find themselves competing with others on equal ground for the attention that used to come so freely. So why should Joey be wary of such a well-fitting label? Since his first public appearances at the age of seven, Joey has attracted a significant amount of media attention, with a focus on his young age. I know many people call me a prodigy…I mean, ok, thank you, but I still want to be called a jazz musician.” When the host remarked, “I know you don’t really like the term ‘jazz prodigy’, do you?”, Joey replied, “I just like to be as myself, as a jazz musician. But for me I want to focus on the music, and let the music speak by itself.” This is a sentiment he’d previously voiced on the US Today Show. Whether my age, or younger than me, they always talk about their age. In an interview for the television show Asian Dreamers in 2015, Joey explains, “A lot of prodigies, they are good, but they talk about their age. What is interesting in Joey’s case is his seeming awareness of the pitfalls that carrying such a label can bring, and in a show of extraordinary maturity, he has indicated that he would prefer not to have to wear and bear it. The label ‘prodigy’ has understandably been given to this remarkable talent. Audience members were understandably blown away by the young musician’s maturity and creativity, and this marked the beginning of what has become a highly successful US career for Joey, who already has one Grammy-nominated album and a busy touring schedule to his name. Invited at the age of ten to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Centre, Joey opted to play his own original arrangement of Round Midnight by Monk, thus showcasing both his phenomenal technique and profound understanding of the jazz idiom.
#JOEY ALEXANDER PIANO PRODIGY PROFESSIONAL#
By the age of seven he was playing with professional musicians in his hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia, with his rapidly growing reputation as a musical prodigy eventually leading him to New York. Playing by ear at the age of six, the first piece he recalls learning was a jazz standard by jazz icon Thelonious Monk. Joey is completely self-taught, and apart from a brief, yet unsuccessful attempt to interest him in classical music, he has never had a teacher.
The short solo performance, which earned him a standing ovation, was without doubt the cherry on the cake of this young musician’s short but remarkable career thus far. He is now set to play at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival late in July. Watch this feature on the making of Joey Alexander's much praised debut album.If you tuned in to this year’s Grammy awards, you would not have failed to witness the extraordinary performance of 12-year-old jazz pianist Joey Alexander. The debut album features some of his favourite jazz standards including ‘Lush Life’, ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’, ‘My Favorite Things’, Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’ and a lively rhythmical take on Thelonious Monk’s ‘I Mean You’. Joey has impressed with a technical ability that is way beyond his age, but his astounding and inventive musicality enables him to listen and respond to seasoned players whilst playing, like many of the great jazz musicians. I loved everything about his playing, his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of the music." Wynton Marsalis, Director of Jazz at Lincoln Centre in New York, said, “there has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age.
Joey Alexander, an 11-year-old jazz piano prodigy from Indonesia, has taken the jazz world by storm following the release of his debut album ‘My Favorite Things’. As we reported in early November Joey has been working with some of New York’s finest on this release for Harlem’s Motema Music, the same label that discovered Gregory Porter.
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