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Alvin Queen

Alvin Queen was born on August 16, 1950, in the Bronx, New York, but his family relocated to Mt. Vernon when he was 2 years old. The Queens were poor, but the Levister Towers Projects, where Alvin grew up, proved to be rich territory, as he was surrounded by many individuals who, like him, sprouted into the leading exponents of their generation.

There were scores of musicians, like sax men John Purcell and Jimmy Hill; vibraphonist Jay Hoggard; pianist Tommy James; B-3 organ champ Richard Levister; his swinging brother, Millard Levister on drums; and far too many others to name. And Alvin's list of celebrity running mates didn't end with musicians; they included future NBA stars like Ray Williams of the New York Knicks and Gus Williams of the Seattle Supersonics.

Alvin's hoop skills, however, were limited to the neighborhood courts, where he'd go head-to-head at the infamous Fourth Street playground with other wannabe hardwood stars, which included future Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. In fact, it was Denzel's father, Elder D. Washington Sr., who was pastor of the First Church of God In Christ, where Alvin's grandmother was a member. That church ended up playing a pivotal role in Alvin's life, because it's where he got his first dose of spirit-filled music, and — after he began singing in the choir and playing the tambourine - it's where he began connecting with and conveying the rhythms of his life.

Alvin was introduced to the drums at an early age by his brother, Willie Queen, who was a standout percussionist at with the Grime School Marching Band. It was Willie who convinced Alvin that this was something he should stick with. While Christmas shopping with his mother one morning, Alvin spotted a kid playing drums in the second-floor storefront window of the Andy Lalino Drum Studio. At the time, Alvin had been earning some change shining shoes, but dreams of pulling together enough money to get his own drum set were just that - dreams.

But while shining shoes wouldn't get him the money he needed, it did give him an excuse to meet the studio owner. So one day, Alvin, shoe shine kit in hand, wandered up the stairs of the studio and asked Andy Lalino if he wanted a shine.

That’s how it all began. “You know anything about playing drums?” Andy asked.

“Well, I play for the Grime School Marching Band, and I’d love to play your drum set,” Alvin replied.

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Radio & Podcasts

Miles Davis, Art Farmer & Sheila Jordan

Read "Miles Davis, Art Farmer & Sheila Jordan" reviewed by Joe Dimino


From a cat that was born with jazz in his blood originally from the Bronx and now living in Switzerland since 1979, that was drummer Alvin Queen with the cut Sushi off a very well received 2019 CD Tribute to OP. The album plays respects to his old friend and mentor Oscar Peterson. We go from there delving into stories and the music from his life from the legends like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Elvin Jones and Art ...

247
Live Review

Alvin Queen at The Turning Point Cafe

Read "Alvin Queen at The Turning Point Cafe" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Alvin Queen The Turning Point Cafe Piermont, NY June 22, 2009

A couple of minutes into Shirley Scott's “There's Blues Everywhere," Alvin Queen's medium tempo shuffle beat had a galvanizing effect on his band as well as the normally decorous audience at The Turning Point Cafe. Throughout the fifty minute set, which encompassed a brash rendition of Horace Silver's “Nutville," a ballad treatment of the standard “Old Folks," and a wickedly fast version of ...

315
Album Review

Alvin Queen: Jammin' Uptown

Read "Jammin' Uptown" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Back in 1985, drummer Alvin Queen put together a band of American musicians to record Jammin' Uptown for his Nilva Records label. Queen, who was living in Europe, visited the United States to play live concerts and to record. This band reflected his vision as he brought together young musicians Terence Blanchard (trumpet) and Robin Eubanks (trombone) along with veterans John Hicks (piano) and Manny Boyd (tenor, alto and soprano sax) with Ray Drummond (bass) as the bridge. ...

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Interview

Alvin Queen: The Move, The Groove and The Beat

Read "Alvin Queen: The Move, The Groove and The Beat" reviewed by Maxwell Chandler


There are two types of great drummers in jazz, the impeccable time keepers and the ones who bring something more to both the instrument and the pieces/groups in which they appear. Alvin Queen is of the latter group, possessing a casual grace and instantly recognizable sound. He is in a direct line of artistic descendants from other great skin-men including Billy Higgins, Elvin Jones and Max Roach. All About Jazz contributor Maxwell Chandler sat down with Queen to ...

270
Album Review

Alvin Queen: I Ain't Looking at You

Read "I Ain't Looking at You" reviewed by Larry Taylor


Drummer Alvin Queen is a virtual dynamo. On I Ain't Looking At You, he generates an explosive fusion of down-home blues and dynamic straight-ahead arrangements from his ensemble of young jazz stars.

Joining him are stratospheric trumpeter Terrell Stafford and creative Bird-influenced alto player Jesse Davis. Making sure the soulful quotient is high, guitarist Peter Bernstein and Hammond B-3 organist Mike LeDonne round out the quintet.

Queen got his start in the sixties, playing ...

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Recording

Alvin Queen: Night Train to Copenhagen

Alvin Queen: Night Train to Copenhagen

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

I missed this album when it came out last year, but I want you to know about it now in case you missed it, too. Alvin Queen is a superb drummer with a beautiful, sentimental touch on sticks and brushes. Born in the Bronx, Queen lived in Canada in the 1970s and then relocated to Switzerland in 1979, where he created the Nilva record label, an anagram of his first name. On his most recent album, Night Train to Copenhagen ...

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Recording

Justin Time Records Releases Drummer-Bandleader Alvin Queen's "Mighty Long Way"

Justin Time Records Releases Drummer-Bandleader Alvin Queen's "Mighty Long Way"

Source: DL Media

Drummer and Bandleader Alvin Queen Keeps The Jazz Tradition on the Beat with Mighty Long Way New Justin Time Records Release Modern jazz at the change of the century is an art form of many inventions and dimensions, driven by a potpourri of trends, styles, fads, marketing, and media. So much so, that the heart of the music - the rhythmic gravity we call swing - has almost been rendered extinct in some circles. But the sensational New ...

158

Performance / Tour

Rare NY Area Appearance: Drummer Alvin Queen Quintet Featuring Terell Stafford at Theturning Point Cafe Piermont, NY

Rare NY Area Appearance: Drummer Alvin Queen Quintet Featuring Terell Stafford at Theturning Point Cafe Piermont, NY

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

MONDAY JAZZ at the Turning Point Cafe Piermont, NY (South of Tappan Zee Bridge, North of GWB in Rockland. Only 25 minutes from NYC, NJ, CT, Westchester, and Orange. A great intimate setting ideal for Jazz.) Mondays 8pm-11pm World Class Jazz Mondays 8pm-11pm Monday June 22 Rare NY Area Appearance Drummer Alvin Queen Quintet featuring Terell Stafford, trumpet and Dado Moroni, piano ...

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Performance / Tour

Alvin Queen Quintet at Turning Point Cafe (Piermont NY) on June 22nd

Alvin Queen Quintet at Turning Point Cafe (Piermont NY) on June 22nd

Source: All About Jazz

Jazz great Alvin Queen will make a rare NY area appearance leading a group featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford and Italian pianist Dado Moroni, who is also making a rare appearance in this area. Included in the group will be saxophonist John Richmond and Danton Boller, bass. This special performance is part of the Monday Jazz series at the Turning Point Cafe. Sets at 8pm and 9:30pm. $15 music charge, no minimum, one charge for the evening. Turning Point Cafe

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Interview

Alvin Queen & Dean Bowman Interviews

Alvin Queen & Dean Bowman Interviews

Source: All About Jazz


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Recording

Just a Memory Reissues Alvin Queen's "Jammin' Uptown"

Just a Memory Reissues Alvin Queen's "Jammin' Uptown"

Source: All About Jazz

Just A Memory Records reissues two adventurous and soulful albums

Alvin Queen's Jammin' Uptown Big John Patton's Soul Connection Alvin Queen's propulsive drumming has been powering the jazz establishment for fifty years, and Justin Time Records is proud to reissue two seminal titles from Queen's Nilva catalog on its acclaimed subsidiary, Just A Memory Records. Recorded in the 1980s, and never before issued on CD, these two releases showcase the drummer in starkly different, but equally energetic contexts, ...

216

Interview

Drummer Alvin Queen Interviewed at AAJ

Drummer Alvin Queen Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

There are two types of great drummers in jazz, the impeccable time keepers and the ones who bring something more to both the instrument and the pieces/groups in which they appear. Alvin Queen is of the latter group, possessing a casual grace and instantly recognizable sound. He is in a direct line of artistic descendants from other great skin-men including Billy Higgins, Elvin Jones and Max Roach.

AAJ contributor Maxwell Chandler sat down with Queen to talk about his impressive ...

171

Recording

Alvin Queen New CD I Ain't Looking at You

Alvin Queen New CD I Ain't Looking at You

Source: All About Jazz

World renowned jazz drummer Alvin Queen is pleased to announce the release of his new CD I AIN'T LOOKING AT YOU (Enja Records) Featuring Terell Stafford - Trumpet, Flugelhorn Jesse Davis - Alto Saxophone Mike LeDonne - Hammond B3 organ Peter Bernstein - Guitar Alvin Queen - Drums Matching 56-year-old veteran drummer, Alvin Queen with the best of today's young jazz talent is a recipe for a successful jazz issue. After all, ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Mighty Long Way

Justin Time Records
2009

buy

Jammin' Uptown

Just A Memory
2008

buy

I Ain't Looking at You

Justin Time Records
2007

buy

Alvin Queen

India Navigation
1986

buy

Lenox And Seventh

India Navigation
1985

buy

The Drum Thing

From: Mighty Long Way
By Alvin Queen

Jammin' Uptown

From: Jammin' Uptown
By Alvin Queen

Videos

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