Wikipedia

Ralph Alessi

Ralph Alessi(born March 5, 1963) is an Americanjazztrumpeter, composer, andECMrecording artist.[1][2]Alessi is known as a virtuosic performer[3]whose critically-acclaimed projects include his Baida Quartet, withJason Moran,Drew Gress,andNasheet Waits,[4][5]and This Against That, his quintet withAndy Milne,Gress, Mark Ferber, andRavi Coltrane.[6][7][8]Alessi has also recorded and performed with artists includingSteve Coleman,Uri Caine,Fred Hersch,andDon Byron.[9][10]

Ralph Alessi
Background information
Birth nameRalph Peter Alessi
Born(1963-03-05)March 5, 1963(age 61)
San Francisco, California
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Jazz musician, composer
InstrumentTrumpet
LabelsECM,RKM

Alessi is known for his work as an educator,[11]and in 2001 he founded theSchool for Improvisational Musicin Brooklyn, New York.[1]He has taught at theEastman School of Music,NYU,NEC,[12]theUniversity of Nevada, Reno,[13]Siena Jazz University,[14]andUniversity of the Arts Bern.

Early life and career

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Alessi was born and raised in theSan Francisco Bay Area.[15]His parents met as performers at theMetropolitan Opera:his mother, Maria Leone Alessi, sang in the chorus; his father, Joseph Alessi Sr., was principal trumpet for nearly 15 seasons.[16]His brother,Joseph Alessi,is a trombonist with theNew York Philharmonic.[16]

Alessi also began as a classical musician, and performed with theSan Francisco SymphonyandSan Francisco Operain his teens.[17]He later attended theCalifornia Institute of the Arts,studying withCharlie Hadenwhile earning aBFAin jazz trumpet performance andMFAin jazz bass performance.[15]In 1986, he met fellow CalArts studentRavi Coltrane,who became one of his longest-standing collaborators.[7]JazzTimesdescribes their "musical bond" as "arguably developing into a rapport on par with the highest echelon of trumpet/tenor combinations";[6]Coltrane once gave an interview withNPRfocused entirely on his favorite song, Alessi's "Who Wants Ice Cream".[18]

Select discography

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As leader

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As sideman

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With David Ake

  • Bridges(Posi-Tone, 2013)
  • Humanities(Posi-Tone, 2018)

WithDon Byron

  • You are #6(Blue Note, 2001)
  • Ivey Divey(Blue Note, 2006)

WithMichael Cain

WithUri Caine

With James Carney

  • Fables from the Aqueduct(1994, Jacaranda)
  • Offset Rhapsody(1997, Jacaranda)
  • Ways & Means(2009, Songlines)

WithSteve Coleman

  • A Tale of 3 Cities(Novus/BMG, 1994)
  • Myths, Modes, and Means(Novus/BMG, 1995)
  • The Way of the Cipher(Novus/BMG, 1995)
  • The Sign and the Seal(BMG, 1996)
  • Genesis(BMG, 1997)
  • The Sonic Language of Myth(BMG, 1999)
  • Lucidarium(Label Bleu, 2003)

WithRavi Coltrane

WithScott Colley

WithDavid Gilmore

  • Ritualism(2000, Kashka)

WithDrew Gress

  • 7 Black Butterflies(Premonition, Koch, 2005)
  • The Irrational Numbers(Premonition, 2007)
  • The Sky Inside(Pirouet, 2013)

WithFred Hersch

  • Leaves of Grass(2005, Palmetto)
  • Live from the Jazz Standard/ Fred Hersch Pocket Orchestra(2009, Palmetto)
  • Trio plus 2(Palmetto)
  • Songs Without Words(2009, Nonesuch)

WithJason Moran

WithEnrico Pieranunzi

  • Proximity (2015, CamJazz)

WithLonnie Plaxico

  • With All My Heart(1994,Muse)
  • Emergence(2000,Savoy)

WithSam Rivers

WithYelena Eckemoff

  • Better Than Gold and Silver(2018, L&H)
  • I Am a Stranger in This World(2022, L&H)

With Others

  • Peter Epstein,Polarities(2014)
  • Tomas Fujiwara Trio,Variable Bets(Relative Pitch,2014)[19]
  • Florian Weber,Lucent Waters(ECM, 2018)[20]

References

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  1. ^abChinen, Nate (8 March 2007)."Ralph Alessi's This Against That: In Spartan Space, Jazz in a Communal Mode".The New York Times.Retrieved26 August2021.
  2. ^"Ralph Alessi".All About Jazz.5 March 1963.Retrieved26 August2021.
  3. ^Fordham, John (29 July 2010)."Jim Hart/Ralph Alessi".The Guardian.Retrieved26 August2021.
  4. ^Chinen, Nate (15 August 2010)."Ralph Alessi in a Quartet at the Jazz Standard".The New York Times.Retrieved26 August2021.
  5. ^abFitzell, Sean (February 2014)."Baida: Ralph Alessi (ECM)"(PDF).The New York City Jazz Record.Retrieved26 August2021.
  6. ^abShanley, Mike (25 April 2019)."Ralph Alessi: Imaginary Friends (ECM)".JazzTimes.Retrieved26 August2021.
  7. ^abOuellette, Dan (29 April 2019)."Ralph Alessi Reconvenes Ensemble for 'Imaginary Friends'".DownBeat.
  8. ^Fitzell, Sean Patrick (10 April 2007)."Ralph Alessi & This Against That: Look".All About Jazz.Retrieved26 August2021.
  9. ^abLayman, Will (13 May 2016)."Ralph Alessi: A Trumpet King for 2016".PopMatters.
  10. ^Collar, Matt."Ralph Alessi | Biography & History | AllMusic".AllMusic.Retrieved4 December2016.
  11. ^Chinen, Nate (19 June 2019)."The Gig: Brass Class".JazzTimes.Retrieved26 August2021.
  12. ^"Ralph Alessi, Brian Levy join NEC jazz faculty".New England Conservatory.15 October 2013.Retrieved26 August2021.
  13. ^"Joseph and Ralph Alessi with the UNR Trombone Choir".University of Nevada, Reno.Retrieved26 August2021.
  14. ^Laskey, Kevin (February 2020)."A Provocative Blend: Ralph Alessi Speaks".Jazz Speaks.The Jazz Gallery.Retrieved26 August2021.
  15. ^abCollar, Matt."Ralph Alessi: Biography".Blue Note.Retrieved26 August2021.
  16. ^abCurrie, Barbara Jöstlein (January 2015)."Q&A With Joseph Alessi".The Juilliard Journal.Retrieved26 August2021.
  17. ^"Listen: Ralph Alessi –" Near Cry "".Jazz Speaks.The Jazz Gallery.Retrieved26 August2021.
  18. ^Pellegrinelli, Lara (1 October 2013)."Ravi Coltrane's Favorite 'Ice Cream' Flavor".NPR.Retrieved26 August2021.
  19. ^"AMN Reviews: Tomas Fujiwara Trio – Variable Bets (2014; Relative Pitch Records)".Avant Music News.24 October 2014.Retrieved26 August2021.
  20. ^de Barros, Paul (February 2019)."Florian Weber: Lucent Waters".DownBeat.Retrieved26 August2021.
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