Monty Alexander is a rare bird, a pianist who's comfortable playing jazz piano on top of reggae riddems, reggae piano on top of jazz rhythms, or a track wholly within one idiom. As the title here implies, the synthesis is natural for a Kingston-raised artist who immigrated to New York City in the ‘60s, but there are elements of pop music and other forms as well. The pop comes through in the excellent melody-based revisions of soul radio classics like “What’s Going On (Wa’a Gwan)” and “People Make the World Go Round.” Alexander also pays tribute to his roots with a tender version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” a live version of the folk song “Linstead Market” and, most intriguingly, on the playful “Skamento” where he celebrates a time when Jamaican mento of the ‘50s gave way to ska in the early ‘60s. While Alexander’s singing won’t earn him accolades, his backing on “Love Notes” by George Benson, Ramsey Lewis, and Joe Sample is worth a listen. His serious side shows elsewhere on “Concerto De Aranjuez” and several strong originals.