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When looking at his
list of accomplishments, it is surprising that the creative bass
stylings
of Alex Blake have not reached the status of "household word".
The range of Alex Blake's talent is bordering on phenomenal, as a plethora
of musicians in virtually every style call upon him for truly unique
bass playing. |
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recording and touring dates read like a "who's who" of all
the "who's" that have ever played jazz. |
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Alex Blake was born in Panama where, as a child, he enjoyed the infusion of cultures common in Central America. Acting as a bridge between North and South America, Panama captures a little bit of each culture passing through. It only follows that as one of the building blocks to his character, this environmental influence would later be echoed in his uncanny ability to play every style of music. Alex moved with his family to the United States when he was seven years old, and continued to be influenced by his environment, which this time round was Brooklyn, New York.
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| Alex's first instrument was the trumpet, for which he developed a real flourish. His father, also a musician, experienced a very strong premonition through a dream a few years later. His dream told him that his son's future would be with the bass, and that it would take him all over the world. With that, Alex's father became his first bass teacher. Between his fathers' instruction and his own natural and incredible reach for expression, Alex started his reputation for blowing people away with his talent. |
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Alex began playing
professionally by the time he was twelve. Alex's education did not end
with success on the bandstand however. He continued to study privately
with some of the great teachers of stringed instruments, composition,
theory, as well as arranging. Reggie Workman and Harry Constant
at
The New Muse in Brooklyn,
Melonie Punter and Akua Dixon
at
the String Reunion
and composer / recording artist Richard Davis all helped to hone Alex's
already accomplished and individual style. |
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Alex began to collaborate
creatively on the inception of some of the more recognized Afro-Cuban,
Puerto Rican, and Latino Jazz artists including Mongo Santamaria. Machito
(Maria Bauza), and Celia Cruz to name a few. By the time he was sixteen,
Alex had reached the epitome of "outside" success by touring
and recording with Sun Ra. From there, at the ripe old age of seventeen,
Alex had moved on to play with Dizzy Gillespie, which catapulted the
demand for his presence to an international basis. The calls poured
in from Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Randy Weston, Pharoah Sanders
and many others who desired his inventive interpretations on the bass. |
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After becoming one
of the major players of the fusion movement in the late 70's (as evidenced
in his writing and performances with Lenny White and Billy Cobham),
Alex established himself as a drummer's bassist. His range and ability
to flow between melodic, and extremely rhythmic playing, enabled all-star
drummers to express themselves without having to worry about keeping
somebody else's time. |
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A perfect example
would be of Alex's work with Randy Weston, who has changed the parameters
of Afro-centric jazz with Alex's unlimited style by freeing up the rhythm
section to work with only a hand percussionist. The band moves between
complex polyrhythm and swing in a flawless manner, never losing the
groove. In essence, by it's sound; the band's music explains the infusion
of African influences that, throughout America, became jazz. The swing
of it is firmly in the hands of the bass that walks right into flamenco
riffs: global consciousness in a chorus.
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- As a sideman without
comparison,
the individuality
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Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Alex "Big Bass Foot" Blake - All Rights Reserved. |
