So, I heard Monty Alexander was going to be in town, and I thought, why not? It’s been a while since I’ve seen some proper live jazz, you know? My son actually mentioned it, saw an ad somewhere online I think. He knows I’m a fan of the old school piano guys.
Getting Things Sorted
First thing was nabbing those tickets. Went online, pretty straightforward stuff. Clicked a few buttons, typed in the card details. Thankfully, no crazy queues or website crashes this time. That’s always a relief. I remember trying to get tickets for another show last year, absolute nightmare. This was smooth sailing, thankfully. Printed them out, stuck ’em on the fridge so I wouldn’t forget.
In the week leading up, I actually dug out some of my old Monty Alexander CDs. Yeah, actual CDs, remember those? Gave them a spin. It really got me in the mood. His version of “No Woman No Cry” – still gives me goosebumps. Just gets you, right in the heart.
The Day of the Show
Concert day arrived. The wife decided to join, which was nice. She’s not as mad about jazz as I am, but she enjoys a good night out. We decided to drive. Traffic was, well, traffic. You know how it is on a Friday evening. Added a good twenty minutes to the journey, but we’d left plenty of time. Parking was a bit of a pain, had to circle the block twice before finding a spot that wasn’t a king’s ransom per hour. But hey, we made it.
The venue was decent. Not too big, not too small. We found our seats, pretty good view. Grabbed a quick drink from the bar – pricey, as always at these places, but what can you do?
Monty Himself
And then, the lights dimmed. A bit of hush, and out he walked. Monty Alexander. Just strolled on, cool as you like. Sat down at the piano, and from the first note, man, he just owned the place. The energy was incredible. He didn’t say a whole lot at first, just let the music do the talking. And boy, did it talk.
His fingers, they just dance over those keys. It’s like magic. He played a mix of stuff, some classics, some of his own tunes. The band with him, they were tight. Real professionals, you could tell they loved playing together. There was this one bluesy number, just had everyone grooving. Even my wife was tapping her foot, I saw her!
What I love about Monty is that joy he brings to it. You can see it on his face. He’s not just playing notes; he’s feeling every single one. And that feeling, it spreads right through the audience. It’s infectious.
- The Vibe: Really warm, everyone there just to enjoy the music.
- The Sound: Crystal clear. Every note from the piano, the bass, the drums, just perfect.
- Standout Moment: When he did a little Jamaican folk song medley. The whole place just lit up.
It’s funny, for a while there, you forget about everything else. Just lost in the music. That’s the power of a good live performance, isn’t it? Better than any recording.
Winding Down
All too soon, it was over. Standing ovation, of course. He came back for an encore, played something soft and beautiful. A perfect end to the evening. We walked out feeling uplifted. The drive home was much quicker, no traffic to speak of. We chatted a bit about the show, which bits we liked best.
The next day, I still had some of those melodies running through my head. It just makes you feel good, you know? A good dose of live music, especially from a legend like Monty Alexander, it’s like a tonic for the soul. Definitely worth going. If he’s ever playing near you, I’d say go catch him. You won’t regret it. Made me think I should get out more often, actually. Life’s too short to sit at home all the time, right?
