Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Don Alberts Bio

Hi Carl, hope you are doing well. Appreciate all your good work. I wonder if I could tread on you for your talents in reinvigorating my tired old bio. I'm releasing a new music book, Volume 8, and I'd like to dress it up a little. I admit I don't have those skills but from what I have seen, you obviously do, and with ease. Take a look at the attached and let me know...all the best. Hope to get together soon. Don

BIO-DON ALBERTS-trio and quartet

Don Alberts is more than a pianist, he’s a piano stylist in the finest and most classical tradition of Jazz. His style is reminiscent of the dignity and panache ofDuke Ellington and the eloquence lower" of which he was a member contributing his compositions; "The Lizard," "Waltz Ingenue,"and "Cerabella,"and also wrote compositions for the Virgil Group.
Influences:
Don grew up in the San Francisco area and learned his skills playing the San Francisco clubs in the 60's which exposed him to the challenging music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bud Powell, much of which became part of his foundation, a style rooted deeply in bebop and the blues. The romantic side of his playing comes from the influence of pianist Bill Evans. Beginning piano at the age of ten, his earliest influence was the Boogie Woogie style of Mary Lou Williams followed by Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Nat Cole, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Clark, and Mulgrew Miller.
Early recordings:
One of Don’s early compositions, "The Lizard" appears on the CD album "Home Coming" with Tom Harrell, released in 1999 by bassist Gordon Stevens and published on "Life Force Records."
A second CD album on "Chill House Music" CHM 0002, was released in March of 2002 entitled, "Local Hero," a trio format with bassist David Friesen and drummer Alan Jones which includes material from an earlier session from the Cassette "Local Hero." The re-release of that 1988 recording is now available as a CD. This package includes some fine solo piano work and the re-introduction of three originals; "Local Hero," "Sarah’s Theme," and "Until I Met You. " Two more compositions; "The Blue Mirror" and "Furnace Blues" can be found on Francis Vanek’s 1985 release, "Redwood Range" on Valentine Records. A 1981 recording with the Northwest band, "Tangier" included three of his compositions: "Nightly Dancer," "Dixie Flyer," and "Tabledance," published on "Cisco Records."
Other Venues:
You may have caught him on television playing piano on the "The Late, Late Show" with Tom Snyder during an interview with Cheech Marin while filming at the Cypress Club in San Francisco.
Don’s trio at the Cypress club lasted for over five years with; Frank Passantino (bass) and Buddy Barnhill (drums). All three are included in the historic photo "San Francisco Giants of Jazz."
Don Alberts has recently received the 2005-2006 ASCAP jazz composers award for his book, "Original Jazz Compositions Volume Five." Don currently offers a course in Jazz Composition at the Jazz School in Berkeley, Ca.
Publishing:
The CD "INTUITION, "THE DON ALBERTS TRIO, is a landmark achievement, the capturing of the original work of the band as developed at the Cypress Club in San Francisco. All compositions are by Don Alberts except his one homage to Bill Evans, the tune "One For Helen." The CD "INTUITION" is available at CDBaby.com and at many record outlets including; Tower, Border’s, and on many Internet sites where these songs are downloaded: iTunes, napster, musicmatch, cdnow, Emusic, Mp3Tunes, Rhapsody, and many others. More info at www.donalberts.com
New Release:(2006)
"Avende Miles," a work of fresh originals in a quartet setting with saxophonist Scott Barnhill and the existing trio. A more strait ahead jazz approach to these new compositions designed to stimulate and comfort the jazz lover’s heart with rich improvisations and harmonies. More information at www.donalberts.com
New Release: (2006)
"Rejuvenation," Produced by DonMar Productions was released in August, 2005. This new CD features five new compositions by Don Alberts plus two standards, "Autumn Leaves" and "Nardis" with Don Russo on bass and Diego Erencon on drums, recorded in February, 2005 at Tone Palace Studios in Taos, NM. CDs available at CDBaby.com. For more information at
www.donmarmusic.com
Internet presence:
CDs available from www.cdbaby.com/all/babalon
The books: "Don Alberts-Original Jazz Compositions," is published by Chill House Music. Volumes 4, 5, 6, 7 and Volume 8 are also available from the author. Order at www.donalberts.com
or send inquiries to the email address below.
Contact:
jznotes@yahoo.com

1 comment:

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The Minus One on slide show now playing "The Minus One" is the name of the group Dana Alberts, Liam Hart and Mike Henry started in the eighties. The band released four singles through the "Skate Rock" series through Thrasher Magazine, and appeared on “One Giant Leap”, a compilation record released in England on Venture Records in 1983. The next year, they recorded “Where A Man Was Made,” with Spencer Dryden on drums (Jefferson Airplane drummer) and Naomi Ruth Isenberg (Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks) on violin. Minus One toured the U.S. in 1985 with the VKTMS, the punk band formed by drummer Louis Gwerder and featuring Nyna Crawford. Later that year Alberts was approached by Danny Sugerman, the author and former manager of the “Doors, and Iggy Pop's manager, after Sugerman had heard a tape of the band. This led them to an offer of a record deal from Geffen Records. The band, broke up before the deal could be consummated. They reformed in late 2006, and are be currently rehearsing to play extensively in 2007.