A bass that walks right into flamenco riffs: range and ability to flow between melodic, and extremely rhythmic playing.

6 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Mainstream Jazz, WORLD: World Beat



Details:
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal 2005(Day 3)
Bassist Alex Blake, who wowed the crowd with his seated, heavily percussive upright bass attack!-Andrey Henkin /All About Jazz..

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.

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.

THE ALEX BLAKE QUARTET

Ted Cruz - Keyboards
He has performed with such notable jazz artists such as Nat Adderly, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland, Steve Coleman and Woody Herman.
His production and arranging work has been recognized and acclaimed by Billboard, Downbeat, Vibe and Rolling Stone magazines. Cruz recent composition/programming and productions has been featured on recordings with such varied artists as Britney Spears, Faith Hill, Monica, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Ice-T.

____________________________________________________________

Chris Hunter - Sax & Flute
Originally from London England, Chris Hunter quickly established himself as one of the leading Journeyman free lance musicians in the city and began working regularly with artists such as Michael Camilo, Hiram Bullock, Robben Ford.
In addition Chris became a regularly featured soloist on a wide variety of recordings, including themes for Oprah, Regis and Kelly, Ted Koppel, etc., and an infinite variety of guest appearances on records. Jonathan Butler, Larry Coryell, Tania Maria, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, Sting,...
___________________________________________________________

Victor Jones - Drums
Born in Newark, New Jersey As a teenager, he won several awards for outstanding musicianship, and in 1975, was discovered by Lou Donaldson. This led to a string of prestigious gigs, including two years with Donaldson's outfit and then a stint with Stan Getz's band.
Touring with Getz introduced Jones to an international audience, and he has since toured and recorded with a multitude of renown artists, such as James Moody, Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Clarke, Phyllis Hyman, Stanley Turrentine, Masabumi Kikuchi, Michel Pettruciani, Dizzy Gillespie and Chaka Khan. For the last two years, Jones has been touring with the world famous Jimmy Scott.