Another great gone.
Tim (Some Ramblings From Mr. Gueguen)
---Bio from congahead.com -- be sure to check the audio clip where he talks about his early days with Nina Simone, being stolen away by Miles, and recording kit on "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down" (preempting Jack DeJohnette and Lenny White).
Listen to Don lay it down on "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down" (left channel).
---UPDATE (April 2, 3:23 PM) -- ATTENTION MAINSTREAM MEDIA: You suck. Don Alias died on Tuesday, March 28, and now, five days later, not a single mention of his passing anywhere? He played on Bitches Brew. He played on Shadows And Light. He played on Jaco's solo debut. He played and recorded with Weather Report, Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Brecker Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Nina Simone, Dave Liebman, Chick Corea, Carla Bley, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Marty Ehrlich, Carlos Santana, Roberta Flack, Marianne Faithful, James Taylor, and just about anyone else you can think of. Show some fucking respect.
I can't believe I have to hear about this on your blog. You're quite right about this suckassery of mainstream media.
-Austin
Posted by: austin | 02 April 2006 at 08:54 PM
Also the Night Music band. I loved Night Music.
Posted by: godoggo | 03 April 2006 at 01:43 AM
Don took me all over the world. He played masterfully night after night. Miles Davis once told me he is the best percussionist in the world. Everyone who heard him left in amazement...
He never got his due. I tried so hard to get his vibe out. He was so entertaining onstage. He was a good man. Lived to protect me. We split up when my health stopped me short. He was there for me even when I could no longer be there for him. I'm okay now, and I thank Don for so many great years.
Beach Cat,
his island girl
I posted a website I made for him about ten years ago at
www.wellbeingbydesign.com/don
Posted by: Catherine Alias | 07 April 2006 at 05:35 PM
Catherine,
Thanks so much for coming by! That website is a treasure -- I had no idea Don had hosted a radio show on CHOM, and the book excerpt is amazingly entertaining (nice title). If you don't mind, I'm going to go ahead and bump your comment to the front page.
Posted by: DJA | 07 April 2006 at 05:43 PM
I have met Don in 1986 when he was on tour with Blood Sweat and Tears in Montreal during the Olympics and became friends with him as well as an admirer most assuredly......I would like to know if there are any videos which I could access through the internet of at least one of his many solos .
Posted by: jagi | 21 April 2006 at 10:39 PM
Jagi, click the link marked "Video of Don in action" above.
Posted by: DJA | 21 April 2006 at 11:00 PM
I Knew Don Alias for a short time he was a WONDERFUL GUY AND A GREAT SOUL, UNFORTUNATELY LIKE MOST MUSICIANS THEY INDULGE A LITTLE TO MUCH COULD THIS HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE?
Posted by: Greg Lassiter | 18 June 2006 at 03:43 PM
He was my heart.
He was our treasure.
Posted by: Melanie Futorian | 10 August 2006 at 02:32 AM
I liked very much Don Alias,also like a drummer,this work with steve grossmann and Jan Hammer;Jeremy Steig ,for instance,great man!(sorry for my English,i 'm from Paris (musician too) ,good things to you
Posted by: gauthier patrick | 28 July 2007 at 01:04 AM
was a cause of death ever determined?
Posted by: john | 13 February 2010 at 04:14 PM