Ralph Alessi is a jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 trumpeter and composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

 originally from San Rafael, California

San Rafael, California

San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...

, probably better known for being a member of bands led by saxophonist Steve Coleman

Steve Coleman

Steve Coleman, born , is an African American saxophone player, spontaneous composer, composer and band leader. His music and concepts have been a heavy influence on contemporary jazz.-Chicago:...

. He has also performed with a host of others musicians, including Uri Caine

Uri Caine

Uri Caine is an American classical and jazz pianist and composer.-Early years:The son of Burton Caine, a professor at Temple Law School, Caine began playing piano at seven and studied with French jazz pianist Bernard Peiffer at 12. He later studied at the University of Pennsylvania where he came...

, Ravi Coltrane

Ravi Coltrane

Ravi Coltrane is an American post-bop jazz saxophonist. Co-owner of the record label RKM Music, he has produced artists such as pianist Luis Perdomo , guitarist David Gilmore and trumpeter Ralph Alessi....

, Fred Hersch

Fred Hersch

Fred Hersch is a contemporary American jazz pianist who has become a consistent and highly demanded performer on the international jazz scene....

 and Don Byron

Don Byron

Don Byron is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. He primarily plays clarinet, but has also used bass clarinet and saxophones....

, among others.[] Alessi is also the founder and director of the School for Improvisational Music and is on faculty at New York University

New York University

New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

.

Select discography

• "Cognitive Dissonance" (2010, CAMJazz)
• "Open Season" (2009, RKM Records)
• "Look" (2007, Between the Lines Records)
• "Vice & Virtue" (2002, RKM Records)
• "This Against that" (2002, RKM)
• "Hissy Fit" (1999, Love Slave Records)

With Michael Cain

Michael Cain

Michael Cain is a pianist and composer.- Biography :Michael Cain first started playing the piano at the age of four and was quickly improvising and composing...

• Circa
  Circa (album)
  Circa is an album by American composer and pianist Michael Cain with trumpeter Ralph Alessi and saxophonist Peter Epstein recorded in 1996 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
  
  (ECM, 1996)