DON ALIAS

Don Alias was born Charles David Alias on Christmas Day in 1939. His parents were Caribbean immigrants who lived in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. Don grew up listening to Calypso music and closely observed the Cuban and Puerto Rican hand drummers of his neighborhood.

Don said of his childhood, "We were all diversified, as far as music was concerned…I grew up liking just about everything. So I tried to incorporate that into my playing, although the original school I came from was Afro-Cuban music." Don and his brother enjoyed the Cuban and Puerto Rican cultures and sought them out musically. As kids, they played "the rhythm of the streets" and "real ethnic, folkloric music that’s indigenous to African music" in subway stations for money. In high school, Don played conga for the YMCA Eartha Kitt Dance Foundation and accompanied a vocalist at the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island.

Taking a step away from music, Don studied biology at Gannon College in Erie, Pennsylvania and at the Carnegie Institute for Biochemistry in Boston. While studying in Boston, Don often played at local clubs with students from the Berklee School of Music. These students included Bill Fitch, Gene Perla, Chick Corea, and Tony Williams. Along with several of his Berklee pals, Don created the salsa band Los Muchachos and played with them for nearly two and a half years.

Don's excellent rapport with Gene Perla landed him a job with Nina Simone. After Perla joined Simone, he persuaded Simone to invite Don to join them as well. Don eventually served as Simone’s musical director. Nina Simone often shared the stage with Miles Davis. Before long the jazz luminary recognized Don's impeccable skill. Davis hired Don as an auxiliary percussionist in 1969 to record Bitches Brew. The loose, syncopated rhythm of "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" can only be attributed to Don Alias. Following the album's completion, Don went on tour with Davis.

After recording and touring with Miles Davis, Don again joined forces with Tony Williams on the album Ego. Don also found studio work with increasing frequency and recorded with Weather Report and Jaco Pastorius.

Don returned to New York City and rejoined Gene Perla. Together they created Stone Alliance, an Afro-Cuban fusion arrangement that included Steve Grossman on saxophone. In 1977 Don began working with soloist Joni Mitchell. Joining forces on her albums Mingus and Shadows and Light, he infused her music with jazz rhythms.

In the 1980s Don moved to Montreal where he led the ten-piece fusion ensemble Kebekwa. He spent a few years in Canada before he returned to New York City and resumed his demanding studio schedule. He recorded with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Micahel Brecker.

In 1996 he collaborated with Gene Perla yet again. Don unexpectedly passed away on March 28, 2006, in his Manhattan home. At the time, he and Perla were cooperating on a tandem memoir.

Don is remembered for his ability to cull his skill in a variety of musical genres and for his adeptness on the congas and hand drums. Within the jazz community, Don’s proficiency with Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms is legendary.