Percussionist par excellence "DON ALIAS" remains best known for his work at the vanguard of the fusion movement, exploring both sides of the jazz-rock equation via contributions to landmark sessions headlined by Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell.Charles Donald Alias, Sr., widely known as "DON ALIAS", was born on December 25, 1939 in Harlem, New York City. He played percussion as a child and had the benefit of growing up in a time and a place where he could see and hear Mongo Santamaria and Art Blakey on the same Apollo Theater stage. He learned most of his craft on the streets of New York associating with other percussionists who studied Afro-Cuban drumming.
Don gave up a career in medical science to be a musician. At the urging of his family, Mr. Alias (pronounced uh-LIE-ess) studied biology at Gannon College in Erie, Pa., and the Carnegie Institute for Biochemistry in Boston. During this time he met Tony Williams and Chick Corea and played bass in a Latin jazz group with Tony, Chick and congero Bill Fitch. His first professional engagement was with the Eartha Kitt dance troupe performing with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band of 1957. Playing in Boston clubs by night, he met students from the Berklee School of Music, most notably the bassist GENE PERLA. It was Mr. PERLA who got Mr. Alias a job as a drummer with Ms. Simone, even though he had no experience with a full drum kit. He handled the challenge and eventually became Ms. Simone's musical director. In 1969, his work in her ensemble caught the attention of Miles Davis, who was then developing the hazy jazz-rock that would suffuse his album "Bitches Brew." Don joined Nina Simone and became the Musical Director during the last of his three years with her group. In the band was bassist Gene Perla (his lifelong friend & partner) who he later went on with to co-lead the group Stone Alliance. His association with Miles Davis came during the "Bitches Brew" 1969-70 period. After making this historic recording, he went on the road with Miles for a year.During his long and varied career, Don has enjoyed stints playing trap drums with Blood, Sweat & Tears and Mongo Santamaria, and as a percussionist with Joni Mitchell, Sting and all of Jaco Pastorious' live recordings.Don Alias, has played with everyone. Active since the late ‘50s, he stands as easily the most influential percussionist in jazz and one of the few who ever transcended jazz and flamenco successfully and could by all accounts truly swing hard on congas. Alias has created or added an almost spiritual dimension to the pivotal work of Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell (touring with the dream band of Mike Brecker, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays), Sting, David Sanborn, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Mike Stern, John Scofield, George Benson, Lou Rawls, Roberta Flack, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Weather Report. The list is nearly endless. But like all great art, his music will continue to press the truth about all that is music, all that is art, all that is spiritual and human, and the apex of each.Charles "DON ALIAS" Sr., better known to his close friends, musical cohorts & compadres as "LUNGS" transcended this earth on TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2006.♥REST & PLAY for the BIG MAN UPSTAIRS & the ANGELS DON♥
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