Jamaica-born pianist Monty Alexander is a sophisticated, prolific performer with an urbane swinging style informed by the bop tradition as well as the reggae and Caribbean folk he grew up with. Influenced by pianist Oscar Peterson, Alexander initially garnered attention performing in night clubs in the late '50s. Following a move to Miami, he gained wider renown with 1965's Alexander the Great and 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander. Over the years he has continued to explore a vibrant, cross-pollinated sound, moving from straight-ahead acoustic jazz to Jamaican sounds on albums like 1980's Trio, 1994's Jamboree: Monty Alexander's Ivory and Steel, and 2011's Grammy-nominated Harlem-Kingston Express. In 2019, he brought all these influences to bear on the Thelonious Monk-inspired Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations.