Alexis Marcelo: Solo Piano

"Boogieminish Bop" effusively kicks off Alexis Marcelo's first release under his own name, organically combining stride, boogie-woogie and bop into a contemporary melange. For over two decades, Marcelo has honed his chops and developed his personal language, drawing on the full history of jazz piano, his Hispanic roots, early classical training and experiences with hip hop, progressive rock and exploratory improv. 

He boldly chose to perform solo in his debut, something most pianists defer to later in their discographies. Although well-versed in the standards, he also opted to perform 10 of his own compositions, along with two covers—a confident opening move that illustrates his range as both performer and composer.  

The initial barn burner is followed by the romantic and bluesy "Break Bread" and "Have Mercy," a classically tinged piece that flows from a shimmering intro into a contemplative theme, veers out briefly, then returns for a gentle landing. He leans into his Latin roots with a passionate reimagining of "A Saca Camote," an Afro-Peruvian song by Caitro Soto. The Latin-esque "Amargado" best encapsulates his vision. A beautiful, wistful theme that ebbs and flows, ending with a touch of samba that expands outwards, then contracts to a graceful finish.  

The album concludes with Thelonious Monk's "Eronel." Marcelo's one nod to the tradition eschews typical Monkish angularity in favor of stride and bop elements, spiced with a touch of dissonance. 

Central to Marcelo's development was his association with Dr. Yusef Lateef. After classical studies at the Harlem School of the Arts, Marcelo earned a degree in African-American music and jazz piano from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he absorbed Dr. Lateef's autophysiopsychic integrative approach to deep listening and personal expression. The association also led to ongoing work with the percussionist Adam Rudolph.  

Of his many collaborations, the exuberant, soulful duets with James Brandon Lewis at the 2026 Vision Fest are especially intriguing. The performance included an ecstatic "Boogieminish Bop," which should perhaps be amended to "Free Boogieminish Bop." Lewis was also instrumental in making the "Solo Piano" session happen, hopefully bringing Marcelo's music to a much-deserved broader audience.