Role Percussionist Name Don Alias | Website Official website Occupation(s) Musician | |
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Born December 25, 1939New York City, New York United States ( 1939-12-25 ) Associated acts Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock Movies Joni Mitchell: Shadows and Light, Jaco Pastorius: Live and Outrageous Albums Black Market, I Sing the Body Electric, Sweetnighter, Weather Report, Mysterious Traveller |
Don alias percussion trio jazz baltica 1999
Charles "Don" Alias (December 25, 1939 in New York City – March 28, 2006 in New York City) was an American jazz percussionist.
Contents
- Don alias percussion trio jazz baltica 1999
- Interview with percussionist don alias
- As sideman
- References

Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums. He was, however, a capable drum kit performer: for example, Alias played drums on the song "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" from trumpeter Miles Davis's album Bitches Brew (1969) when neither Lenny White nor Jack DeJohnette was able to play the marching band-inspired rhythm requested by Davis.

Alias performed on hundreds of recordings and was perhaps best known for his associations with Miles Davis and saxophonist David Sanborn, though he also performed or recorded with the group Weather Report, singer Joni Mitchell, pianist Herbie Hancock, the Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Nina Simone and many others. Alias was born in New York City and arrived in Boston in the early 1960s intending to study medicine but, after playing congas in a number of local bands, made an abrupt career switch.

Interview with percussionist don alias
As sideman

With Philip Bailey
With Carla Bley
With Uri Caine
With Miles Davis
With Jack DeJohnette
With Joe Farrell
With Dan Fogelberg
With Bill Frisell
With Hal Galper
With Kenny Garrett
With Herbie Hancock
With Elvin Jones
With Dave Liebman
With Joe Lovano
With Joni Mitchell
With Jaco Pastorius
With Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin
With Lalo Schifrin
With Nina Simone
With Steve Swallow
With James Taylor
With Weather Report
With Lou Reed
With Pat Metheny Group
With Don Grolnick Group