An 11-year-old prodigy performs old-school jazz | Joey Alexander 

Jazzy Tunes thank you Sir for your comment. I did not know ted comment section can be full of unreasonable haters.

Jacob collier says there's no useful chords All chords are useful, you just have to learn how to justify those chords to make them sound good

what about brandon goldberg

+Philippe Grant I would daresay has more musical maturity than Oscar Peterson. I highly respect him, but I hate him because he makes me feel like such an inadequate piece of garbage. :(

+Frank Zhang I wouldn't go as far as that as it would require an extensive definition of the concept of maturity, but I'm glad my comment has sparked some thought :) I've been lucky enough to play once for Oliver Jones, Oscar's student, and he would talk about how Oscar was a true genius. We could all just listen and witness a master praising another master :) Truly wonderful moment.

+Philippe Grant I so agree with you, Philippe! Joey taught HIMSELF to play and surprised his parents with his talent. If anyone thinks this piece is too structured, then listen to some other clips or watch the special from 60 minutes. He was improvising at something like age 7 or 8, AND he's from Indonesia. As Jim Morrison used to sing, "People are strange" (and I don't mean Joey or his parents. I'm talking about some of the complainers below!!)

It's all about playing as much as possible! :) and I wasn't aware of his family's musical background, it's good to know, thanks!

+Rick Jordon I would be inclined to say 18 hours a day is likely very exaggerated, as that means 6 hours spent sleeping, eating, using bathroom, and other essential life functions and every other single waking moment spent practicing. But it is Oscar Peterson, so that number might be the only way to explain him.

+Jaksida - You got it all wrong! There is no speech more inspirational than good music!! Music is the ultimate language, especially if you master it at the level of Joey Alexander!! You only WISH you could speak that well!!

+Jaksida TED Technology, Education, Design. I see, I hear, I felt all three existed.

+Jaksida Ugh. You are the WORST kind of person.

+Jaksida If you really think that his level of playing is achievable with "constant support, practice and lessons", then either you aren't a jazz musician or you are just deaf/brain-damaged. He plays with more musical maturity and complexity than most professional jazz pianists I have seen.

When a kid like Joey becomes famous, everybody and his grandma becomes a critic. Fah! If you don’t like his music, then listen to somebody you like. But if you like real jazz, then you can’t help but love Joey’s music. Everything else is baloney.

+Joseph Valentin lol

Cause they didn't like it... #moreconfused

@@jjy135 ive seen you in comment sections of so many other jazz videos lmao

@@lepatron4756 lol

spot on ...

spot on ...

Micahel Kang's comment should be a top comment!

You mean this Makoto Ozone how is teaching by Emily Beat (11) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IxPsiZcCQhA.html

It’s not a matter of playing the notes. It’s his touch and sensibility. It reflects maturity that comes with years of experience, and here we find it in a 12 year old boy. It’s beyond belief! God gifted

nylonsteel $

Improvisation comes in with a supreme knowledge of the notes, lots of jazz chords are the same Ab C Eb and F notes, all that needs to be done is to know which sounds go and Don't go with the chord, memorize that and you can play around at any time. Basically trial and error!

Gabriel G-D definitely not. It’s one of the most advanced forms of self expression to this date

Of course you're right

Hendra Aza Seems very mature for his age.

I can't see any comments that are actually criticizing.....

+Piano 120 well, i can

Piano 120 scrolling, so many *jazz wannabe* judges down

Exactly, which is why simple music is so much more marketable.

Kids are more creative ;)

+zach seresinhe yip agree I do

+zach seresinhe Lol if it was that easy to play like Joey given the right surroundings, we all should be getting TWO Grammy nominees by age 12. hahaha

+John Svensen Emily Bear is no where near Joey Alexander's level.

***** I have to respectfully disagree. Remember, Alexander was dropping improvisation in this video with rich harmonies and progressions. I've heard Bear's music and it doesn't get too much more complex than I, IV, V, vi. Bear's sense of color beyond the piano may surpass Alexander's, but her sense of color on the piano is dull while Alexander's is delicate and sweet.

that right

true

Judy Lloyd no, learning is something that the mind does, he's playing from the heart

Kuro that's wrong. The heart regulates the blood process. Then, the blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs.

@@CabroArtico lol

So true, I’ve been searching for one of these negative comments for sixty years now

@@GeometryDashDyno bro, me too lmao

+Tim Farley Thank you!!

Amen

Tim Farley I was suprised and delighted when I heard it, I didn't expect him to play monk

Tim Farley THE MEME

***** empty seats at ted what is this blasphemy

***** Someone forgot to put the word "prodigy" in the paper ad. A 11 year old trying to play jazz is 90% of the time a painful experience.

and i assume joey here is the 10%

You've figured out the mainstream news industry!

+Dany Hermawan As a jazz musician, I don't necessarily agree with you Dany. Both jazz and classical require atrocious hours of practicing. You have to have a deep understanding of your instrument before you can express your creativity through your instrument!

+William Wang you are right, but I just emphasize the fundamental different, that separate those two genres. You cant be "real" jazz musician when there is no creativity.

+Dany Hermawan the only difference is that in classical music you just interpret a piece written centuries ago, instead in jazz you create and interpret all along .... Jazz is far more complete and and challenging than classical music ....

+Dany Hermawan Jazz also needs tremendous practice and knowledge. There are many children who can learn and play music from a score with great skill. I have never seen an 11 year old who can improvise using the complex harmonic and rhythmic techniques involved in modern jazz. He is the real deal. there is no gimmick here, a genuine genius.

@@p1anosteve playing jazz by reading a score is not playing jazz, lol

Exactly. People don't know how to accept and appreciate anymore.

same here

Me too

Count me too

When I talk about Joey Alexander I do not criticize, I make the observation that it doesn't jusy come out if nowhere like a Thanos snap, it truly takes practice to acheive a status like this! I am a great piano player and write my own arangements to songs performed by orchestras which I learn by ear, I could be like Joey if I put more time into it which I know I do not. Joey Alexander puts in probably tens of hours each week, practice makes perfect as the old saying goes!

Should

+Jamaal Rashad I didn't have read them and I will not. Joey Alexander is incredible in all his performances and already recognised by his peers (Hancock, Corea, Marsalis, ...) as a genius. Ignore the haters who can't see and enjoy an uncommon talent when it comes. It will let more tickets for us on Joey's tours!

No one in the comments are being experts......

stupid haters!! what do you do in life? music? jazz? recording tecnicians.? musical critics?....mmmm not sure.

Jamaal Rashad he's very good. Im just pasting here for the lols

Thank you +My Linh Miles. Thank you +Chris Juarez and Kvetka Bačová​. Enjoy the music.​

Mister Red Panda​. Yes this fellow has a gift with the music. Thank you for your interrest.

No ones criticizing....

Criticizing is the talent of the losers.

Haha☺️ I was thinking while listening to him, "he must be one of the reincarnated greats!" I was imagining them being born into this body and thinking, (if they could be aware of it😏), "Ok, ok. I can work with this. Itty bitty body and short little fingers...that's all right. I got this." ☺️

Yes, there is. A talent is a gift, and a gift is just there, unfolding itself. This is the explanation. It is not an acquisition, it is just a gift from God, and how it happens no one knows,

+danny key He got nominated

ClumsyRoot The difficulty of the piece measured against his age. Growing up in a musical environment, I witnessed this level of ability as commonplace among those who took private lessons and devoted themselves to the art.

ClumsyRoot Indeed, commonplace, with emphasis on "...among those who took private lessons and devoted themselves to the art." Prodigy and genius can only be defined when comparing against others from the same background, not against the general populace. The latter comparison is the error the uploader makes, as evidenced in the video description "...you likely wouldn't expect to hear from a pre-teenager." Anyone with some skill can look like a prodigy if you compare him against the entire population, but to properly assign a label like, we cannot compare in that way. We have to compare like with like in order to identify true prodigies.

Slashtap3 I agree, and tbh I think "prodigy" is nothing but click bait

ClumsyRoot he's asian. He knows this stuff.

Slashtap3 did you achieve that when you were 11?

+Acacia Koa Thanks to the person who brought back some of the videos from Dizzy's.

+Acacia Koa yes sadly that video was taken down by RU-vid but the full version is also available on Vimeo

Steven Hyman It's a must-watch

+William Brall Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking the whole time!

John Berkley I have watched his short documentary and he found himself trapped inside his enjoyable life, no one pushed him to do so, nor his parent. He got his first mini piano and then played with it. He grew with such musical environment, no body push him. It called gift and learn. No instant.

John Berkley

+Noni Nandini umm about science, many Indonesian kids won the International Science Olympiad

Yes, but rarely...they won, but rarely create something.

+Dzulfiqar Bagas Tito Mau menang olimpiade sekalipun cuman bawa harum nama aja bukan perubahan

Sebenarnya saya mau nanggepin bule2 yang komentar kalo joey Alexander cuma robot orang tuanya ketika memainkan piano jazz. Jadi entah kenapa jadinya yang disorot soal orang Indonesia jarang (bukan gak ada sama sekali tapi jaaaarrraaaaaaannnnggggg) menjadi terbaik dalam bidang sains. Ingat yah dalam bahasa Indonesia jarang bukan berarti gak ada. Ada habiebie, ada pratiwi sudarmono, dulu saya baca ada ahli astronomi di jerman menemukan planet/ bintang, ahli kanker. Beliau-beliau ini melakukannya karena cinta/ suka Dan dorongan keluarga. Kalo cuma cinta doang gak ada dukungan keluarga kan susah juga. Tapi yah itu dibanding India, Cina, Korea, Jepang bahkan Malaysia, populasi ilmuwan Indonesia masih kurang. Mau menang olimpiade sains kalo gedenya gak jadi ilmuwan juga gak masuk hitungan ilmuwan kan. Coba nonton big bang theory, ada karakter ilmuwan India. Karena di amerika, orang India banyak jadi ilmuwan. Dan itu diakui. Jadi, mari dibaca dulu konteks komentar saya. Mungkin karena bahasa Inggris saya yang jelek jadi komentarnya dibaca rarely jadi nothing at all.... Sekali lagi saya cuma mau bilang, orang Indonesia kalo jadi nomor 1 di bidang tertentu pertama karena dia memang cinta mati dengan bidang tersebut, kedua karena dorongan orang tua. Bukan sebaliknya.

+Noni Nandini creativity art cannot be achieved from push. maybe becoming doctors or engineers is possible