Alfonzo Blackwell
Encyclopedia
Alfonzo Blackwell is an American modern contemporary jazz saxophonist/composer/producer. Alfonzo Blackwell is also a well accomplished pianist, bassist, guitarist and drummer. He is the pioneer of the ‘Rhythm & Cool’ NY swing sound.
He was accepted at the Performing Arts High School in NYC and then continued his advanced studies at The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and Five Towns College
for Music in Long Island, NY. While honing his craft, his jazz influences included Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane
, Jackie McLean
, Eric Dolphy
and Charlie Parker
. He performed at jazz clubs throughout the tri-state area and earned a weekly residency at a popular Manhattan music venue. Through his youth, Alfonzo played in big bands, jazz ensembles, funk bands, etc. to showcase his original material to his growing audiences and he also played traditional jazz standards and added a few cover tunes in his shows. His formula for mixing traditional jazz with modern contemporary soul and jazz is what makes up his musical presence to date.
Blackwell entered the contemporary jazz music scene in May 1995 with his debut CD release Let’s Imagine. With his debut release, instant NAC radio hit "Alfonzo’s Love Theme"; he forged ahead with more Top 10 Billboard charting hits. "Hermina", an originally penned tribute to his mother, "Passion" and "Funky Shuffle"; to name a few were chart toppers as well. Music video hits, "Love No Limit" and "A Little Bit of Sax" were both nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Video Billboard Awards and was a regular feature on BET
and other popular music video channels. His "Funky Shuffle" and "Take One" (remix) music videos also generated buzz. His music compositions have been used for movie themes as well as television, having performed the theme song to the internationally successful television show, Baywatch Nights
where he was featured every week with David Hasselhoff
. He also was featured on the movie soundtrack for the Rebecca De Mornay
and Antonio Banderas
movie, Never Talk to Strangers, with the hit track, "Love Sick". Alfonzo Blackwell has performed with musicians including Gladys Knight
, The Whispers
and Roy Ayers
to name a few. He also performed with contemporary soul artists such as Mary J. Blige
, Faith Evans
and Brian McKnight
.
Throughout his musical career, Alfonzo has always made it a priority to pay tribute to jazz greats who came before him and inspired him by recording his own renditions of such classics as Quincy Jones
’ masterful production of "Killer Joe", George Benson
’s "Breezin", John Coltrane
’s take on the classic "My Favorite Things" and Miles Davis
’ "All Blues". Growing up, Alfonzo was hugely inspired by all the various musical styles that his parents played in his home. He also produced and performed his rendition of the funk-soul power group, MFSB
’s "Love Is the Message" on his self-titled LP.
2010 marked Alfonzo’s fifteenth anniversary in the music business and to commemorate this milestone, a special tribute to John Coltrane
was in the works and will be featured on his eighth project, Legacy. He will produce and perform Coltrane’s traditional standard "Impressions" for 2011 single track release.
practitioner. Alfonzo Blackwell uses his intense musical discipline to master of all facets of his life that has made him the student of success. He is currently an American Heart Association
(AHA) ambassador for the Power to End Stroke campaign initiative. He also serves as a speaker and board member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition. The Artist Empowerment Coalition is a not-for-profit coalition of artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and music lovers. The AEC was initiated and inspired through the efforts of artists such as Stevie Wonder
, Prince
, Roberta Flack
and Chaka Khan
along with the law firm of L. Londell McMillan
, P.C. and supports musicians and artist’s rights.
Biography
Alfonzo Blackwell was born Alfonzo Robert Blackwell Jr. in Brooklyn, NY. Music was always a big part of his household and childhood upbringing. He learned to play the piano by ear at the age of six. He began playing saxophone at age eleven and became proficient on alto, tenor and soprano saxophones. Throughout the years Alfonzo added several new instruments to his arsenal. He started to play the drums, bass and guitar along the way.He was accepted at the Performing Arts High School in NYC and then continued his advanced studies at The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and Five Towns College
Five Towns College
Five Towns College is a for-profit institution of higher learning located in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York . Founded as a business school in 1972 by Stanley G. Cohen, Ed.D...
for Music in Long Island, NY. While honing his craft, his jazz influences included Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean
John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
, Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
and Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. He performed at jazz clubs throughout the tri-state area and earned a weekly residency at a popular Manhattan music venue. Through his youth, Alfonzo played in big bands, jazz ensembles, funk bands, etc. to showcase his original material to his growing audiences and he also played traditional jazz standards and added a few cover tunes in his shows. His formula for mixing traditional jazz with modern contemporary soul and jazz is what makes up his musical presence to date.
Blackwell entered the contemporary jazz music scene in May 1995 with his debut CD release Let’s Imagine. With his debut release, instant NAC radio hit "Alfonzo’s Love Theme"; he forged ahead with more Top 10 Billboard charting hits. "Hermina", an originally penned tribute to his mother, "Passion" and "Funky Shuffle"; to name a few were chart toppers as well. Music video hits, "Love No Limit" and "A Little Bit of Sax" were both nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Video Billboard Awards and was a regular feature on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
and other popular music video channels. His "Funky Shuffle" and "Take One" (remix) music videos also generated buzz. His music compositions have been used for movie themes as well as television, having performed the theme song to the internationally successful television show, Baywatch Nights
Baywatch Nights
Baywatch Nights was an American police and science fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the popular television series, Baywatch.-Synopsis:The original premise of the show...
where he was featured every week with David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
. He also was featured on the movie soundtrack for the Rebecca De Mornay
Rebecca De Mornay
Rebecca De Mornay is an American film and television actress. Her breakthrough film role came in 1983, when she played Lana in Risky Business opposite Tom Cruise...
and Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
movie, Never Talk to Strangers, with the hit track, "Love Sick". Alfonzo Blackwell has performed with musicians including Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, The Whispers
The Whispers
The Whispers are a long-established R&B-dance vocal group from Los Angeles, California, with a consistent track record of hit records dating back to the late 1960s.-Career:...
and Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
to name a few. He also performed with contemporary soul artists such as Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
and Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet....
.
Throughout his musical career, Alfonzo has always made it a priority to pay tribute to jazz greats who came before him and inspired him by recording his own renditions of such classics as Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
’ masterful production of "Killer Joe", George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
’s "Breezin", John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
’s take on the classic "My Favorite Things" and Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
’ "All Blues". Growing up, Alfonzo was hugely inspired by all the various musical styles that his parents played in his home. He also produced and performed his rendition of the funk-soul power group, MFSB
MFSB
MFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the...
’s "Love Is the Message" on his self-titled LP.
2010 marked Alfonzo’s fifteenth anniversary in the music business and to commemorate this milestone, a special tribute to John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
was in the works and will be featured on his eighth project, Legacy. He will produce and perform Coltrane’s traditional standard "Impressions" for 2011 single track release.
Causes and special interests
Alfonzo supports various charitable causes and music education programs. In his spare time, he is a competitive bodybuilder and power-lifter and has won several awards and trophies throughout his rigorous training. He is also a competitive Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
practitioner. Alfonzo Blackwell uses his intense musical discipline to master of all facets of his life that has made him the student of success. He is currently an American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
(AHA) ambassador for the Power to End Stroke campaign initiative. He also serves as a speaker and board member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition. The Artist Empowerment Coalition is a not-for-profit coalition of artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and music lovers. The AEC was initiated and inspired through the efforts of artists such as Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
and Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
along with the law firm of L. Londell McMillan
L. Londell McMillan
L. Londell McMillan is an entertainment attorney based in New York City. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1983 and Cornell University in 1987....
, P.C. and supports musicians and artist’s rights.
Discography
- Let’s Imagine (1995)
- Alfonzo Blackwell (1996)
- Body of Soul (1998)
- The Time Is Now (2000)
- Reflections (2001)
- Sax You Down [double disk CD] (2004)
- Dance To This (2008)
- Legacy (2012)