Drummer/Composer Aaron Alexander grew up in Seattle, where he co-founded the collective bands BABKAS and Timebone (which won the Earshot Jazz, “Golden Ear” Award in 1990, for Best Acoustic Jazz Band in the N.W.) Alexander was also a member of the Jay Clayton/Jim Knapp Collective and the Mazeltones. He studied at Roosevelt H.S. with Waldo King and at Cornish College with Jerry Granelli, James Knapp, Julian Priester & Jay Clayton. Alexander moved to New York City from Seattle in 1993.
Alexander released an all original jazz CD in 2003 (Aaron Alexander Sextet, “Blues for Sparky”).
The Tzadik label, run by downtown icon John Zorn, has released Alexander's first CD of original klezmer/punk/free jazz music, entitled “Midrash Mish Mosh.” The CD features a great lineup of musicians: Greg Wall-saxophone, Frank London-trumpet, Curtis Hasselbring-trombone & guitar, Merlin Shepherd-clarinet, Brad Shepik-guitar, Fima Ephron-bass, Mike Sarin-drums, & Aaron Alexander drums & original compositions.
Alexander is an active and committed member of the downtown jazz/new music and klezmer scenes in New York City. �He is regarded as one of the prominent new and traditional klezmer drummers in the world today because of his work with Hasidic New Wave, Babkas, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars, Klezmerfest, the Klezmatics, Alicia Svigals, Greg Wall, and others. In the more traditional and progressive Jazz world Alexander has worked with Jay Clayton, James Knapp, Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, Myth Science, Tronzo Trio, Julian Priester, J. Granelli, Mose Allison, Peter Epstein, Michael Bisio, Wayne Horvitz, Steve Bernstein, Chris Speed, Jessica Williams, Charlie Byrd & many others. Alexander is committed to the discipline of improvisation as well as composition.
