Picnic at Kontiki
Debut solo album; made Eric Alan's Top 40 jazz releases list for 2011.
Music & Discography
Ramon Alexander's recordings trace a single, deepening idea: that the rhythms and heritage of the Cape — goema, riel, the Khoi and Moravian traditions of his home — belong at the centre of contemporary jazz. Across a decade of work, from his ESP Band beginnings to his solo albums and his production for Cape Town's jazz elders, his catalogue is both a personal songbook and a record of Cape Jazz carried forward.
His two solo albums, Picnic at Kontiki (2011) and Echoes from Louwskloof (2015), sit at the heart of the catalogue — the latter an homage to his forebears and to the history of Mamre. Alongside his own recordings, he produced Essence of Spring (2019) for Cape Town jazz icon Ibrahim Khalil Shihab, one of his most notable credits behind the desk.
Discography
Albums, productions & appearances
Grouped by Ramon's role on each recording — his own albums, projects he produced and played on, and releases he features on. Where a title is on Spotify, you can play it here; Apple Music links sit alongside.
As leader — his own albums
Echoes from Louwskloof
Second solo album; a Mamre / Louwskloof heritage theme, including "Louwskloof se Mense".
No cover artwork
Taxi 1022
Ramon's own recording with the ESP Band; never commercially released, so not available to stream.
As producer & pianist
Essence of Spring
A recording project by Cape Town jazz icon Ibrahim Khalil Shihab — Ramon Alexander is the producer and plays piano.
Featured & appears on
Cape Jazz Piano
A compilation of leading Cape Town pianists — Ramon Alexander plays on the collection.
Sounds of Cape Town – Riel, Ghoema & Cape Jazz
An album by Gideon Murray — Ramon Alexander is featured on one track.
Musical Democracy
Released as Cape Jazz Series Vol. 4. Ramon Alexander is the pianist, featured on "Three Khois in a Fountain" (recorded 2012).
Credentials at a glance
Recording highlights
- Solo albums
- Picnic at Kontiki (2011) · Echoes from Louwskloof (2015)
- Production credit
- Essence of Spring (2019), for Ibrahim Khalil Shihab
- Compilation appearances
- Musical Democracy / Cape Jazz Series Vol. 4 (2013) · Cape Jazz Piano (2018), both Mountain Records
- Guest appearance
- Sounds of Cape Town (2022), an album by Gideon Murray
- Recognition
- Picnic at Kontiki named to Eric Alan's Top 40 jazz releases of 2011