Ray Alexander

b. 7 Feb 1925, Lynbrook, Long Isle, USA, d. 9 June 2002, New Hyde Recreation area, NY, USA. Born right into a musical environment (his mom was a concert pianist), Alexander started playing piano as an extremely small kid. At college, he produced a harmonica music group then planned to be always a trumpet participant, but youth asthma finished that ambition. After viewing Gene Krupa at New York’s Paramount Theater around 1940 Alexander chosen acquiring drumming lessons. He also continuing to hear jazz in NY night clubs, hearing ‘Big’ Sid Catlett, Artwork Tatum, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and many more. Sometimes Alexander sat in and followed musicians like the violinists Stuff Smith and Joe Venuti. Alexander’s profession plans had been interrupted by military service during Globe Battle II but on his come back he used many rings including Chubby Jackson and Bobby Byrne. By the end from the 40s he started playing vibraphone, learning on a regular basis he was functioning being a drummer by time and vibraphone participant by evening. After originally playing drums with Claude Thornhill in the middle-50s, he became a member of George Shearing’s Quintet, switching to vibraphone, towards the finish of the 10 years. Active mainly around NY, Alexander used many musicians, occasionally on drums, various other moments on vibes, playing formal periods and simply for kicks. In this manner he accompanied music artists such as for example Charlie Barnet, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz and Costs Evans. In the first 60s he briefly became co-owner of the jazz cafe in Westchester State then, in the first 70s he shaped a quartet, Alexanders THE FANTASTIC with Mousey Alexander. He continuing gigging in the brand new York area through the past due 60s and in the 70s and in 1983 documented his first record under his very own name with Kenny Barron and Warren Vaché Jnr. In the first 90s Alexander was still mainly to be noticed around NY although he started touring Europe frequently in the summertime once each year, thanks partly to the achievement of his debut record, which was not really released in the united kingdom until 1990. Alexander was a keen participant who motivated a warm response from his viewers.