Artist Spotlight : Darryl Alexander

Chances are that if you have listened to Saturday Night Live (NBC), Good Morning America (ABC), The Weather Channel, E Entertainment, Lifetime, Fox Business, Maury Povich, or listened to music while flying, that you have heard music by jazz artist/producer/composer Darryl Alexander. His dream growing up was to be a professional baseball player. A batboy at the age of 9, by age 10 he was pitching in his league’s championship series. Darryl’s baseball path would lead him to scholarship offers from numerous universities, including Boston University. Ironically, while Darryl was pursuing a baseball career, he also was developing his skills as a musician, starting, like most, in the school band, playing trombone, tuba, and drums.

At Kent State University, Darryl decided to no longer pursue baseball. It was during these years that he became a member of the band Love, Life, and Us, which featured In Living Color and Comedy.TV comedian AJ Jamal on keyboards and renowned poet and KSU professor Mwatabu Okantah on percussion and lead vocals.

After touring as a member of contemporary Christian Artist Donn Thomas’s touring group “Word, Blood & Power,” Darryl began his recording career with his debut release titled “Coast to Coast,” followed by “17th Street,” both on the Prestige Jazz Label. Both releases garnered media presence in key industry publications of the time (Jazzreview.com, Ebony Magazine, The Urban Network, and BRE). Successful records which followed these releases were “Tea for Two,” “Diamond in The Sky,” “This Way,” and “Transitions.” Darryl’s initial musical break occurred as the result of sending a CD of 10 songs to DSM Producers CEO Suzan Bader. Her company is administered Worldwide by Warner Chappell. Darryl had not heard from DSM for a while, and was unaware that DSM had just moved to a new suite in a larger office complex in New York. A box of CD's had been left by the moving company. The new tenant saw them and carried them to DSM's new suite. Ironically, Darryl's CD was at the top of the stack and Ms. Bader promptly gave it a listen. Within a matter of 2 days, she contacted Darryl and an offer was made to publish these original 10 songs, with Warner publishing them internationally. “This one small thing has probably been the greatest asset in my musical career, says Darryl, and is a door that without God's intervention would not be open.”

Darryl has been the radio host of Sunday Jazz on Star 94.7 FM, and has performed and/or recorded with saxophonists Jackiem Joyner, Jeff Kashiwa, Kenny Blake, Mark Earley (Roomful of Blues), Vince Andrews (Toto), Dave Kana, Jeffrey Green, pianists Kim Pensyl, Alton Merrell (Christian McBride), Brett Williams (Snarky Puppy), Cliff Barnes (Marcus Miller), Brandon Howard (Urban Jazz Coalition), Herb McMullen, Jackie Warren, Antonio Croes, Gary Boggess, guitarists Ken Karsh, Duane Tribune (Urban Jazz Coalition), Teddy Panteles, bassists Wilbur Krebbs (Bob James), Fred Ervin, Renard Clark (Carlos Santana).

Darryl's other life passion is reflected in his work with non-profits to prevent youth substance use and interpersonal violence. He has written numerous federally funded grants and has served as a as federal grant reviewer.