14-year-old jazz wunderkind to perform at Musco Center for the Arts

By Eric Althoff

April 19, 2018 4:20 PM PT

Joey Alexander is the youngest jazz artist ever nominated for two Grammys, has already toured the world and played at major festivals and renowned venues.

He’s 14 years old.

He and his jazz trio will perform at the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University in Orange on April 27.

“My dad introduced me to jazz,” said Joey, a Bali-born musician. “We listened to it in the car and at home and the more I listened and played, the more I enjoyed it.”

Wynton Marsalis, an internationally-acclaimed musician, composer and bandleader who has won nine Grammy Awards, was instrumental in bringing Joey’s talents to the U.S.

“There has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age,” Marsalis has said on Joey’s website. “I love everything about his playing: his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of music.”

Joey was born in Bali, Indonesia, where, by age 6, he was teaching himself piano. He began playing with noted jazz musicians throughout the island nation and when he was 8, UNESCO extended an invitation to play solo piano with Herbie Hancock.

According to an anecdote on his website, Joey was heard to remark to Hancock: “You told me that you believed in me, and that was the day I decided to dedicate my childhood to jazz.”

“It’s not easy and it is improvised music, [but] it’s actually one of the most fun music [styles] to play,” Joey said, adding that jazz, to him is a “very rich” music that always has something to give to audiences. “You have the elements of African rhythms and Caribbean [influences]. Even some from Asia.

“That’s how rich jazz is, how fun it is.”

Joey’s trio is filled out by bassist Kristopher Funn and drummer Johnathan Blake, both internationally regarded musicians.

The April 27 concert will consist of standards as well as cuts from Joey’s new CD, “Eclipse,” which is out May 4.

The trio has played at more than 200 competitions in 17 countries. Stateside, Joey has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival.

Despite his success, Joey, who balances his career with keeping up on his studies online — including learning English as a second language — insists he never intended to be a professional musician.

“[I want] to keep playing, try to get better — be happy,” he said. “Always share my gift, and I hope that my music will give hope to people.”