Strangely silent passing of Don Alias

[Robert Schuh]

I was just looking at some of the Jaco video's at You Tube and watched
this one:

that
he did with Joni Mitchell, Don Alias, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny.
Don Alias passed away on March 28th and there was next to nothing said
about it. I found one thing on Google that said his death was under
investigation, but that was it. Alias was an AMAZING percussionist who
played with almost every heavy on the planet, so his quiet passing
seemed very odd to me.

--
Robert Schuh
"Everything that elevates an individual above the herd and
intimidates the neighbour is henceforth called evil; and
the fair, modest, submissive and conforming mentality,
the mediocrity of desires attains moral designations and honors"
- Nietzsche

http://www.hardbopdrums.com/

[Dan R H]

I saw that also. Don Alias was incredible.
--
Dan Hertlein
http://danhertlein.com/
http://danhertlein.com/dansdrumpage.htm

Post by Robert Schuh
I was just looking at some of the Jaco video's at You Tube and watched
http://youtu.be/DZbo-bE9LIQ that
he did with Joni Mitchell, Don Alias, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny.
Don Alias passed away on March 28th and there was next to nothing said
about it. I found one thing on Google that said his death was under
investigation, but that was it. Alias was an AMAZING percussionist who
played with almost every heavy on the planet, so his quiet passing
seemed very odd to me.
--
Robert Schuh
"Everything that elevates an individual above the herd and
intimidates the neighbour is henceforth called evil; and
the fair, modest, submissive and conforming mentality,
the mediocrity of desires attains moral designations and honors"
- Nietzsche
http://www.hardbopdrums.com/

[R. Lynn Rardin]

...Don Alias passed away on March 28th and there was
next to nothing said about it. I found one thing on Google
that said his death was under investigation, but that was
it.

I remember being shocked and saddened by the news when
I read Greg Lassiter's post in rmb about this in early April.
The NYT obit stated that Alias' companion said that the cause
of death was under investigation. I guess that could mean
anything, not necessarily that the death was suspicious.
Definitely a big loss to the music community.

[Ed Pierce]

Post by Robert Schuh
I was just looking at some of the Jaco video's at You Tube and watched
http://youtu.be/DZbo-bE9LIQ that
he did with Joni Mitchell, Don Alias, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny.
Don Alias passed away on March 28th and there was next to nothing said
about it. I found one thing on Google that said his death was under
investigation, but that was it. Alias was an AMAZING percussionist who
played with almost every heavy on the planet, so his quiet passing
seemed very odd to me.

That is sad news. I had the pleasure of meeting and seeing Don play a
few years ago--I was playing with a group at a local jazz festival, and
Chuck Mangione (the headliner) was following the group I was with.
After our set, as I went backstage an older gentleman stopped me and
complimented me on my playing. I told him thanks, and since he
appeared to be with Chuck Mangione's group I asked him if he was
playing drums with Chuck. "No," he said, "I'm playing percussion with
him." Then he introduced himself: "My name is Don Alias." That was
sure a thrill! We chatted for a bit, and he struck me as a completely
down to earth and friendly guy. I think the fact that he took the time
to stop me and compliment my drumming said less about my actual playing
and more about the fact that he was the kind of guy who would take the
time to offer encouragement to a fellow young drummer. I really
appreciated that.

Of course, he burned with Chuck that night. He had a few conga solos
that were highlights of the show.

What a beautiful person and a beautiful musician. He'll be missed.

Ed Pierce

[slot]

Post by Ed Pierce
That is sad news. I had the pleasure of meeting and seeing Don play a
few years ago--I was playing with a group at a local jazz festival, and
Chuck Mangione (the headliner) was following the group I was with.
After our set, as I went backstage an older gentleman stopped me and
complimented me on my playing. I told him thanks, and since he
appeared to be with Chuck Mangione's group I asked him if he was
playing drums with Chuck. "No," he said, "I'm playing percussion with
him." Then he introduced himself: "My name is Don Alias."

Don was swinging with a smooth jazz veteran like Mangione?

My goodness, but what will be happening next?

[Randy Clarke]

Is he dead? Wow.....Who the hell was he anyway?

N E V E R H E A R D of him

Must have been some Jazzer clown that went nowhere, and died of a drug
overdose

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by Randy Clarke
Is he dead? Wow.....Who the hell was he anyway?
N E V E R H E A R D of him

He returns the compliment. What jazz planet are you on?

[Robert Schuh]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan

Post by Randy Clarke
Is he dead? Wow.....Who the hell was he anyway?
N E V E R H E A R D of him

He returns the compliment. What jazz planet are you on?

Mike,
Ignore this fucker. He name is Dennis Dennison and has about 5000
aliases on line. He is an obese, no talent "drummer" who lives here in
Phoenix and has not played with anything but KISS and Buddy Rich albums
all his life. He is THE most pathetic waste of skin I have ever come
across. He calls himself Superdrummer, DDSD and many other things. He
also e mails people from anon remailers with all sorts of really
horrific porn, decapitations etc. He is a homophobe and obviously is gay
himself, he just keeps it repressed and is horrified by it. He would not
be able to tell Elvin Jones from Elvis on drums.


--
Robert Schuh
"Everything that elevates an individual above the herd and
intimidates the neighbour is henceforth called evil; and
the fair, modest, submissive and conforming mentality,
the mediocrity of desires attains moral designations and honors"
- Nietzsche

http://www.hardbopdrums.com/

[Randy Clarke]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan

Post by Randy Clarke
Is he dead? Wow.....Who the hell was he anyway?
N E V E R H E A R D of him

He returns the compliment. What jazz planet are you on?

Mike,
Ignore this fucker. He name is Dennis Dennison and has about 5000
aliases on line. He is an obese, no talent "drummer" who lives here in
Phoenix and has not played with anything but KISS and Buddy Rich albums
all his life. He is THE most pathetic waste of skin I have ever come
across. He calls himself Superdrummer, DDSD and many other things. He
also e mails people from anon remailers with all sorts of really
horrific porn, decapitations etc. He is a homophobe and obviously is gay
himself, he just keeps it repressed and is horrified by it. He would not
be able to tell Elvin Jones from Elvis on drums.



Rob, I am glad to see that you are still the biggest delusional fuck around.

[L G]

Post by Randy Clarke
Is he dead? Wow.....Who the hell was he anyway?
N E V E R H E A R D of him
Must have been some Jazzer clown that went nowhere, and died of a drug
overdose

Who the hell are you? You're an asshole. The fact that you don't know who DON ALIAS was says more about you than him.

[j197160]

Maybe his family didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

Post by Robert Schuh
I was just looking at some of the Jaco video's at You Tube and watched
http://youtu.be/DZbo-bE9LIQ that
he did with Joni Mitchell, Don Alias, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny.
Don Alias passed away on March 28th and there was next to nothing said
about it. I found one thing on Google that said his death was under
investigation, but that was it. Alias was an AMAZING percussionist who
played with almost every heavy on the planet, so his quiet passing
seemed very odd to me.
--
Robert Schuh
"Everything that elevates an individual above the herd and
intimidates the neighbour is henceforth called evil; and
the fair, modest, submissive and conforming mentality,
the mediocrity of desires attains moral designations and honors"
- Nietzsche
http://www.hardbopdrums.com/