Chances are that if you have listened to Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, The Weather Channel, E Entertainment, Lifetime, Fox Business, Maury Povich, or listened to music while flying, you have heard music by jazz artist/producer Darryl Alexander. His dream growing up was to be a professional baseball player and would lead to scholarship offers from numerous universities, including Boston and Capital Universities. Ironically, while 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 dropped his pursuit of baseball and became a member of a band which featured In Living Color and Comedy.TV comedian AJ Jamal on keys.
After touring as a member of contemporary Christian Artist Donn Thomas’s group “Word, Blood & Power,” Darryl began his recording career with his debut release “Coast to Coast,” followed by “17th Street,” both on the Prestige Jazz Label. Both garnered media presence in key industry publications. Successful records which followed were “Tea for Two,” “Diamond in The Sky,” “This Way,” and “Transitions.”
Darryl’s break occurred as the result of sending a CD to DSM Producers CEO Suzan Bader which is administered Worldwide by Warner Chappell. DSM had moved to a new suite in New York. A box of CD's was left by the moving company. The new tenant took them to DSM. Within 2 days, she contacted him and an offer was made to publish these songs.
Darryl’s has served as the radio host of Sunday Jazz on Star 94.7 FM, garnering press in notable media publications, such as Jazz Chill, Grateful Web, and has received airplay on numerous radio stations internationally, such as JazzNet 247, Smooth Jazz Florida.com, WFSK, WJAB, Soundtraxx, WGMC, and WEIB.
Throughout the years, Darryl has Darryl has performed/recorded with a number of notable musicians, such as saxophonists Jackiem Joyner, Jeff Kashiwa, Kenny Blake, Mark Early, and Jeffrey Green, pianists Kim Pensyl, Alton Merrell, Brett Williams, Brandon Howard, Herb McMullen, Antonio Croes, and Jackie Warren, Vocalists Shirley Murdock, Donn Thomas, John Madgett, and guitarist Ken Karsh, Duane Tribune, Teddy Pantelas, and Rick Ward.
Darryl's other life passion is reflected in his work with non-profits that aim to prevent youth substance use and interpersonal violence, as well as serving as a federal grant reviewer.
