Goin Yard
In this live CD recorded at Pittsburgh's Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander creates enough positive vibes and explosive star-showers to light up the Empire State Building.  Completing a trinity of Caribbean-inflected recordings that includesStir It UpandMonty Meets Sly and Robbie, Alexander--whose sparse finger work is beautifully lithe and expressive--leads his crackling band onGoin' Yardthrough quaking reggae grooves, spacey dub blowouts, plaintive ballads, and rocking riddim escapades. Not for the faint of heart is the interstellar storm ofAugustus Pablo's "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown," presented here as a knockout tribute to the ages, a dubbed-out rhythm fest between Alexander and percussionist Robert Thomas, Jr. and drummer Desmond Jones that is electric. Here's a Caribbean conversation of high-spirited, finger-popping joy. Similarly,Bob Marley's "Exodus" and "Could You Be Loved" are epic travelogues of cosmically charged Jamaican grooves, majestic melodies, and deep-knuckled improvisation. There are contemplative moments ("Trust"), as well as laid-back, humorous asides ("Skankin' Lennox" recalls the Harlem Globetrotters theme), but it's those gritty rhythm wars, like the sound of music magicians dispensing magic dust, that makeGoin' Yardso compelling. The album closes with the genteel classic "Day-O," but this is no rustic folk ditty, rather it's an exotic, fire-under-the-toes feel-good riff that tilts the ending up, way up and kickin'.--Ken Micallef