{{short description|Indonesian jazz pianist (born 2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Indonesian name|patronymic=yes|Sila|Joey Alexander}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Joey Alexander | image = File:Joey Alexander with MPR leader (cropped).jpg | caption = Alexander in 2017 | birth_name = Josiah Alexander Sila | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2003|06|25}} | birth_place = Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia | instrument = Piano | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician | years_active = 2012–present | label = Motéma, Verve, Mack Avenue Records | website = {{URL|joeyalexandermusic.today}} }}
'''Josiah Alexander Sila'''<ref name="Chinen0512">{{cite news|last=Chinen |first=Nate |title=Joey Alexander, an 11-Year-Old Jazz Sensation, Who Hardly Clears the Piano's Sightlines |newspaper=The New York Times |date=12 May 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/arts/music/joey-alexander-an-11-year-old-jazz-sensation-who-hardly-clears-the-pianos-sightlines.html |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515021543/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/arts/music/joey-alexander-an-11-year-old-jazz-sensation-who-hardly-clears-the-pianos-sightlines.html?_r=0 |archive-date=15 May 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (born 25 June 2003),<ref name="Regen0513">{{cite news|last=Regen |first=Jon |title=Joey Alexander, 12-year-old jazz piano prodigy |work=Keyboard |date=13 May 2015 |url=http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1236/joey-alexander-12-year-old-jazz-piano-prodigy/52191 |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627193227/http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1236/joey-alexander-12-year-old-jazz-piano-prodigy/52191 |archive-date=27 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> known professionally as '''Joey Alexander''', is an Indonesian jazz pianist. He became the first Indonesian musician ever to be nominated at the Grammy Awards and performed at the ceremony as well. His debut album ''My Favorite Things'' peaked at #59 on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/6569167/joey-alexander/chart?mobile_redirection=false|title=Joey Alexander Billboard Chart History|magazine=Billboard|date=30 May 2015|access-date=6 October 2015}}</ref>
Widely regarded as a wunderkind, Alexander was mentored in jazz piano by his father.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theideatrader.com/interview-denny-sila-on-raising-a-jazz-piano-prodigy/|title=Interview: Denny Sila on Raising a Jazz Piano Prodigy|first=Joey|last=McDowell|date=22 March 2019|website=Theideatrader.com|access-date=28 December 2023}}</reF><ref name="CBS0507" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lngfrm.net/denny-sila-coach-and-father-of-piano-prodigy-joey-alexander-talks-fatherhood-working-with-his-gifted-son/|title=Denny Sila, Coach and Father of Piano Prodigy Joey Alexander Talks Fatherhood, Working With His Gifted Son|date=26 April 2018|website=Lngfrm.net|access-date=28 December 2023}}</ref> He won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Master-Jam Fest when he was nine.<ref name="Chinen0512"/>
In 2014, Wynton Marsalis invited him to play at Jazz at Lincoln Center.<ref name="Chinen0512" /> His first album, ''My Favorite Things'', was released in 2015 when he was 11 years old.<ref name="Chinen0512" /> Alexander played at the Montreal and Newport Jazz Festivals in 2015 and has performed for Herbie Hancock, Bill Clinton, Wendy Kiess, and Barack Obama.
==Early life== Alexander was born in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, to parents Denny Sila and Farah Leonora Urbach, who ran an adventure tourism business.<ref name="Chinen0512"/> His father was an amateur musician,<ref name="Newport">{{cite web|title=Joey Alexander |publisher=Newport Jazz Festival |year=2015 |url=http://www.newportjazzfest.org/index.php?pID=15&MUS=619&GIG=28&ARTIST=Joey%20Alexander |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701011353/http://www.newportjazzfest.org/index.php?pID=15&MUS=619&GIG=28&ARTIST=Joey%20Alexander |archive-date=1 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and both parents were fans of jazz, particularly Louis Armstrong. He is the nephew of rock singer Nafa Urbach<ref name="Chilton0513">{{cite news|last=Chilton |first=Martin |title=The 11-year-old taking jazz world by storm |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=13 May 2015 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/11601509/The-11-year-old-taking-jazz-world-by-storm.html |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710013926/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/11601509/The-11-year-old-taking-jazz-world-by-storm.html |archive-date=10 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Indonesian musician and songwriter Alam Urbach. He learned about jazz by listening to classic albums his father gave him.<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="Newport" /> By age six, he had taught himself to play piano using a miniature electric keyboard his father brought home for him,<ref name="CBS0507">{{cite news|title=10-Year-Old Piano Prodigy From Indonesia Takes New York By Storm |publisher=WCBS-TV |date=7 May 2014 |url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/07/10-year-old-piano-prodigy-from-indonesia-takes-new-york-by-storm/ |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627053803/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/07/10-year-old-piano-prodigy-from-indonesia-takes-new-york-by-storm/ |archive-date=27 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="AP0512">{{cite news|title=11-Year-Old Indonesian Jazz Piano Prodigy Releases Debut CD |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=12 May 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/12/arts/ap-us-music-joey-alexander.html |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240527100706/https://www.webcitation.org/6ZXGogaVF?url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/12/arts/ap-us-music-joey-alexander.html%3F_r=0 |archive-date=27 May 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref> learning by ear compositions such as Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't" and other songs from his father's collection.<ref name="AP0512" /> He later said learning the instrument came naturally to him,<ref name="CBS0507" /> and considers his ability "a gift from God".<ref name="AP0512" /> He cites as influences John Coltrane, Harry Connick Jr., Bill Evans, and Herbie Hancock, and he particularly admires Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver and McCoy Tyner.<ref name="Newport" /><ref name="Chilton0513" />
Due to the unavailability of jazz education in his hometown,<ref name="Newport" /> Alexander participated in jam sessions in Bali and Jakarta,<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="Newport" /> where his family moved after disbanding their tourism business so he could live near Indonesia's top jazz musicians.<ref name="AP0512" /> When he was eight, he played for Herbie Hancock when Hancock was visiting Jakarta as a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. Hancock told Alexander that he believed in him, and Alexander later called that time "the day I decided to dedicate my childhood to jazz".<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="AP0512" /> At the age of nine, he won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Master-Jam Fest, an all-ages jazz competition in Odesa, Ukraine, which included 43 musicians from 17 nations.<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="Newport" /> In 2014, he and his family moved to New York City to pursue a career in music.<ref name="Chinen0512" />
==Career== Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, learned about Alexander after a friend suggested he watch a YouTube video clip of him playing compositions by Coltrane, Monk and Chick Corea.<ref name="Chilton0513" /><ref name="AP0512" /> Marsalis praised Alexander as "my hero" on his Facebook page,<ref name="Chinen0512" /> and invited him to appear at his organization's gala in May 2014, when he was 10.<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="CBS0507" /> It marked Alexander's United States debut.<ref name="AP0512" /> He received positive reviews for his performance, particularly for his solo version of the Monk song "'Round Midnight".<ref name="Chinen0512" /> ''The New York Times'' said he became an "overnight sensation" after the performance.<ref name="Chinen0512" /> Allen Morrison of ''DownBeat'' magazine said of the performance: "If the word 'genius' still means anything, it applies to this prodigy. He played his own solo variations on 'Round Midnight' with a breathtaking precocity and mastery of several decades of piano style."<ref name="Downbeat0505">{{cite magazine|title=Jazz at Lincoln Center's Annual Gala Charms With an Evening of Inspired Riffs |magazine=DownBeat |date=5 May 2015 |url=http://www.downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=2374 |access-date=24 June 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712182000/http://www.downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=2374 |archive-date=12 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Marsalis said of him: "There has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age. I loved everything about his playing—his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of the music."<ref name="Chilton0513" /> Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, widow of tennis player Arthur Ashe, invited Alexander to perform at the Arthur Ashe Learning Center gala, where he played for a crowd that included former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Moutoussamy-Ashe introduced him to Gordon Uehling III, founder of the CourtSense Tennis Training Center, who allowed Alexander and his family to stay at his estate in Alpine, New Jersey.<ref name="Chinen0512" />
Alexander played at A Great Night in Harlem at the Apollo Theater, a performance honoring Herbie Hancock. His performance at the University of the District of Columbia garnered viral attention on the internet, drawing more than 500,000 views on Facebook.<ref name="Newport" /> He also played in a concert with students of the Juilliard School, the proceeds of which funded his continuing stay in New York City. The concert, which received national media attention on NBC News, was successful enough for him to obtain an O-1B visa, which is granted to "individuals with extraordinary ability".<ref name="Newport" /><ref name="AP0512" /> He also gave concert performances in 2014 at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival and the International Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta.<ref name="Newport" />
Alexander's debut album, ''My Favorite Things'', was released on 12 May 2015, on the Harlem-based label Motéma Music and produced by Jason Olaine. He was 11 at the time of its release.<ref name="Chinen0512" /><ref name="Newport" /> He began recording the album in October 2014.<ref name="AP0512" /> He arranged all of its songs, which includes renditions of "'Round Midnight", Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life". It also includes an original composition, "Ma Blues", which was inspired by Bobby Timmons's "Moanin'".<ref name="Chilton0513" /><ref name="AP0512" /> ''My Favorite Things'' featured Alexander alongside Russell Hall, Alphonso Horne and Sammy Miller, as well as guest performers Larry Grenadier and Ulysses Owens.<ref name="Newport" /> He had several performances in 2015, including one at the Montreal International Jazz Festival,<ref name="Chilton0513" /><ref name="AP0512" /> and another at the Newport Jazz Festival in August.<ref name="Chinen0512" /> Newport producer George Wein is reluctant to sign alleged child prodigies, but made an exception after Moutoussamy-Ashe took Alexander to Wein's Manhattan apartment to play for him. Wein said he distinguished himself with "the maturity of his harmonic approach".<ref name="Chilton0513" /><ref name="AP0512" /> Jazz at Lincoln Center has expressed interest in incorporating Alexander into its educational outreach efforts, hoping to encourage young people to listen to jazz music.<ref name="Chinen0512" />
In February 2016, Alexander was a runner-up through his nomination for the Grammy Awards’ Best Jazz Instrumental Album (for ''My Favorite Things'') and Best Improvised Jazz Solo (for "Giant Steps"). He performed live at the Premiere Ceremony, the pre-telecast ceremony at the Grammy Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thejazzline.com/news/2016/02/12-year-old-pianist-joey-alexander-receives-standing-ovation-at-2016-grammys/ |title=12-Year-Old Pianist Joey Alexander Receives Standing Ovation At 2016 Grammys – Jazz Line News |website=Thejazzline.com |first=Stephen|last=Doble|date=2016-02-16 |access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>
In September 2016, Alexander released his second album, ''Countdown'' (Motéma Music, 2016), named after the John Coltrane track.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Jenkins|first1=Nash|title=Meet the 13-Year-Old Jazz Musician Who Was Nominated For a Grammy|url=https://time.com/collection/next-generation-leaders/4518781/joey-alexander-next-generation-leaders/|access-date=10 April 2017|magazine=Time|date=6 October 2016}}</ref> It featured his trio of Dan Chmielinski and Ulysses Owens, augmented by bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Chris Potter.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chinen|first1=Nate|title=Jazz Pianist Joey Alexander Turns 13 and Debuts New Song 'City Lights' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/08/arts/music/joey-alexander-city-lights-countdown.html |access-date=25 June 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|date=7 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Fordham|first1=John|author-link=John Fordham (jazz critic)|title=Joey Alexander: Countdown review – 13-year-old prodigy has an old jazz soul |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/nov/10/joey-alexander-countdown-review-old-jazz-soul-aged-14 |access-date=25 June 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 November 2016}}</ref> On 28 April 2017, Alexander made his debut appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nojazzfest.com// |title=New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - April 23 - May 3, 2020 - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival |website=Nojazzfest.com |date= |access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>
September 2017 saw the release of Alexander's third album, titled ''Joey. Monk. Live!'' (Motéma Music, 2017), is a collection of seven songs by Thelonious Monk recorded live at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room in June 2017, released concurrently with his nomination as Music Scholar by the T. Washington Scholars program in August.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://joeyalexandermusic.com/new-album-joey-monk-live-out-now/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115003354/http://joeyalexandermusic.com/new-album-joey-monk-live-out-now/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=15 November 2017 |title=Joey Alexander |website=Joeyalexandermusic.com |date=2017-09-29 |access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref> His fourth album, titled ''Eclipse'' (Motéma Music, 2018), was released in May 2018.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://jazztimes.com/audio-video/premieres/track-premiere-joey-alexander-faithful/|title=JT Track Premiere: Joey Alexander's 'Faithful' |website=JazzTimes |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref>
On 18 August 2018, Alexander performed at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.liputan6.com/showbiz/read/3622421/joey-alexander-bawakan-melati-suci-di-opening-ceremony-asian-games-2018-warganet-terharu |title=Joey Alexander Bawakan Melati Suci di Opening Ceremony Asian Games 2018, Warganet Terharu - ShowBiz |website=Liputan6.com |date=2018-08-18 |access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>
In 2020, Alexander released ''Warna,'' his fifth album under Verve Records. His sixth album, ''Origin'', was released on 20 May 2022 by Mack Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/origin-mw0003699585/releases|title=Origin {{!}} Releases|website=AllMusic|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> It is Alexander's first album of entirely original compositions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/origin-mw0003699585|title=Origin Review|first=Matt|last=Collar|website=AllMusic|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> Past collaborators Kendrick Scott and Larry Grenadier return, with featured musicians Gilad Hekselman and Chris Potter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-18 |title=Joey Alexander {{!}} "Origin" {{!}} Available May 20 via Mack Avenue Records |url=https://dlmediamusic.com/press-releases/joey-alexander-origin-available-may-20-via-mack-avenue-records/ |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=DL Media Music |language=en}}</ref>
==Discography== ===As leader=== * ''My Favorite Things'' (Motéma, 2015) * ''Countdown'' (Motéma, 2016) * ''Joey.Monk.Live!'' (Motéma, 2017) * ''Eclipse'' (Motéma, 2018) * ''Warna'' (Verve, 2020) * ''Origin'' (Mack Avenue, 2022) * ''Continuance'' (Mack Avenue, 2023)
== Awards and nominations == '''Grammy Awards'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=yankovic&field_nominee_work_value=&year=All&genre=All|title=Past Winners Search|website=Grammy.com}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year !! Category !! Work !! Result |- |rowspan="2"| 2016 || Best Improvised Jazz Solo || "Giant Steps" || {{nom}} |- | Best Jazz Instrumental Album || ''My Favorite Things'' || {{nom}} |- | 2017 || Best Improvised Jazz Solo || "Countdown" || {{nom}} |}
'''Panasonic Gobel Awards''' {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year !! Category !! Work !! Result |- | 2016 || Special Events || "Special Interview Joey Alexander with Najwa Shihab" || {{nom}} |}
'''Anugerah Musik Indonesia''' {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year !! Category !! Work !! Result |- | 2018 || Best Jazz Instrumental Artist || "Moment's Notice" || {{won}} |}
'''Libera Awards''' {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year !! Category !! Work !! Result |- | 2024 || Best Jazz Records ||''Continuance'' || {{nom}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.joeyalexandermusic.today}} * {{IMDb name|id=7034979}} * {{TED speaker}} ** [https://www.ted.com/talks/joey_alexander_an_11_year_old_prodigy_performs_old_school_jazz Jazz performance at TED]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Joey}} Category:2003 births Category:21st-century Indonesian pianists Category:Asia Game Changer Award winners Category:Child jazz musicians Category:Indo people Category:Indonesian child musicians Category:Indonesian jazz pianists Category:Indonesian people of Dutch descent Category:Living people Category:Motéma Music artists Category:Musicians from Bali Category:People from Denpasar