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Alex Norris

Alex Norris grew up in Columbia, Md. where he began studying music at the age of 9. After graduating high school he received a scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music to study trumpet. He graduated from the Conservatory in 1990.

In 1992, Norris moved to New York City to pursue a career as a jazz trumpeter.. Here, he found work with the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi's Jazz Orchestra, and Maria Schneider's Band. From 1994-1998, Norris was a member of Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead, becoming musical director in 1998; the final year of Carter's life. Norris has also performed and recorded extensively in the bands of Lonnie Plaxico, Jason Lindner, and with Ralph Irizarry's Timbalaye.

Norris has worked with many noted jazz musicians such as Slide Hampton, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Chris Potter, Carl Allen, John Patitucci, Mulgrew Miller, and Brian Blade. Norris is very active in Afro-Cuban jazz, as well, having worked with Andy and Jerry González, Manny Oquendo, Paquito D’Rivera, and Chico O’Farril.

In 1995, Norris received a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He has served on the music faculties at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Towson University, and the City College of New York. In 2007, Norris received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. From 2005-2008, Norris was also a teacher at the University of Miami.

Residing in New York City, Norris performs all over the world with his own jazz group and with the Ron Carter's Great Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, Alan Ferber's Big Band, Kyle Eastwood, Helen Sung, Miguel Zenon, Amina Figarova, and many other jazz and Latin jazz artists. He performs regularly at top New York Jazz Clubs such as the Jazz Standard, Smalls, Smoke, Birdland, and the Blue Note. He is also a member of the Jazz Studies Faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.

Alex Norris has one CD released on the Fresh Sounds/New Talent Label entitled “Alex Norris Quintet- A New Beginning”. His most recent recording, Alex Norris Organ Quartet- Extension Deadline, will be released in February on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records. As a sideman, Alex has recorded on over 80 CD's; several of them for labels such as Blue Note, Verve, Impulse, Steeplechase, and Sunnyside.

Alex has several of his Latin jazz compositions published by 3-2 Music in Fresno, CA. Additionally, he has a video masterclass available on www.mymusicmasterclass.com

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3
Album Review

Manuel Valera Quintet: Vessel

Read "Vessel" reviewed by Chris May


Cuban born and raised, pianist and composer Manuel Valera moved to the US in 1994, attending high school in Florida before moving to New York City in 2000 to study at the New School. His classmates included Robert Glasper, Mike Moreno, Michael Rodriguez, Marcus Strickland and E.J. Strickland. Fast company. Valera's career as a leader moved up a notch when his band New Cuban Express received a Grammy nomination in 2013 for Best Latin Jazz Album for ...

10
Album Review

Ilya Dynov: Bridges

Read "Bridges" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Russian-born composer and drummer Ilya Dynov, a New York-based internationally recognized jazz musician, presents his debut recording on Bridges, a nine-piece repertoire of all original material capturing a neo-bop style of blistering up-tempo jazz with an adventurous slant. After immigrating to Belgium and obtaining his citizenship, where he pursued an advanced musical education, Dynov moved to New York City in 2018, quickly becoming emersed in the city's vibrant jazz scene. For this first album, the drummer assembles an ...

4
Album Review

Ilya Dynov: Bridges

Read "Bridges" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


Is there a distinctive NewYork post-bop sound? If there is, does it owe its existence to some common ancestry? To the revolving cast of players who have populated a number of clubs and bands on a rotating basis since the 1990s? To licks, formulaic harmonies, or just a kind of jazz version of the median voter idea to be a little different, but not enough to scare the audience off? To do justice to the question requires on-the-ground experience, and ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Alex Norris, Sheila Jordan and More

Read "Alex Norris, Sheila Jordan and More" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


This eclectic episode features celebrated jazz musicians such as Stan Getz and Sheila Jordan as well as lesser-known but equally strong players such as Alex Norris and Adam Larson. Playlist The Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Jim Self/John Chiodini Duo “Lydian Afternoon" from Hangin' Out (Basset Hound) 00:55 Chico Hamilton “Penthouse A" from Twelve Tones of Love (Joyous Shout) ...

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Album Review

Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

Read "The Pan American Nutcracker Suite" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Yes, Peter Tchaikovsky's timeless Nutcracker Suite is basically holiday music; and, yes, the 2022 holiday season is squarely in everyone's rear-view mirror. Even so, there is always room for a fresh approach to the annual festive staple, which is what drummer Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band brings to The Pan American Nutcracker Suite. The Nutcracker has been rhythmically amended before, but never quite like this, as McCarthy and the band use the strong ...

Album Review

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Imagenes Latinas

Read "Imagenes Latinas" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


L'ottavo album della Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebra il secondo decennio della formazione e colleziona un'altra nomination al Grammy, dopo averne vinti tre. Guidata dal pianista e compositore Oscar Hernández, la big band è una delle voci più acclamate del latin jazz, e si pone sulla scia dei leggendari Manny Oquendo, Barry Rogers, Andy e Jerry Gonzalez alla cui memoria il disco è dedicato. L'impronta stilistica della Spanish Harlem è ovviamente legata alla quarantennale storia musicale del leader, formatosi ...

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Album Review

Amina Figarova: Joy

Read "Joy" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Pianist Amina Figarova released an album in 2005 that was about as far away from the theme of “joy" as could be. September Suite (Munich Records) explored the deadly events of September 11, 2001 (she was in New York at the time; she experienced it). It is an album that she called: “An Ode to Mourning striving to articulate the various stages of grief in musical terms." In 2022 Figarova turns 180 degrees to embrace optimism and a ...

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

On Different Paths

Truth Revolution Records
2024

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Bridges

Self Produced
2023

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Vessel

Criss Cross
2023

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Left Turn at Tradition

Self Produced
2022

buy

The Pan American...

Angel Face Records
2022

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Joy

Amfi Records
2022

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Walking

From: On Different Paths
By Alex Norris

Revived Mind

From: Daring Mind
By Alex Norris

Videos

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