Orbit | Updated: June 27, 2026
Born: October 25, 1994
Cecil Alexander is a guitarist, composer, and arranger from Muskegon, Michigan. A 2016 graduate of Berklee College of Music with a B.M. in Jazz Composition, he went on to earn his M.M. in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University in 2019.
In addition to his work as a jazz musician, Cecil co-founded the folk-rock group Visen in 2016, which released its debut EP, Shoulder Deep, the following year. His versatility and artistry have earned him top honors, including 1st place at the 2017 Wilson Center Jazz Guitar Competition and the 2018 Lee Ritenour Six String Theory Competition. In 2019, he was named a finalist in the prestigious Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition.
Cecil has performed and recorded with esteemed artists such as Bill Charlap, Antonio Hart, Lee Pearson, Luis Perdomo, Nathan East, and Steve LaSpina. His musical influences span genres, drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix, George Benson, John Coltrane, Frank Zappa, and the progressive metal band Meshuggah.
From Fall 2021-2023 Cecil was a member of the faculty at Berklee College of Music as an Assistant Professor of Guitar. In the past, he has been a faculty member at UCLA (Global Jazz Studies) and Borough of Manhattan Community College. He is currently signed to Heartcore Records, the Berlin-based label founded by legendary guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. His debut album on the label, Introducing Cecil Alexander, was released on September 23, 2022.
Cecil recently began touring with Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott) and released Duos, an intimate collection of guitar and voice duets with his wife, vocalist Ari Alexander. His latest projects, the EPs miles and miles (March 2025) and Lunette (June 2025) explore his deepening interest in guitar-driven instrumental folk and ambient music.
Awards
3rd place 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition.
1st place at the 2017 Wilson Center Jazz Guitar Competition
2018 Lee Ritenour Six String Theory Competition
Tags
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Ari & Cecil Alexander: Kaleidoscope
by Katchie Cartwright
A breezy virtuosity pervades Kaleidoscope from the opening title cut. “I run for the train with you on my mind," vocalist-pianist Ari Alexander sings, “watching the town kaleidoscope by..." She and guitarist Cecil Alexander call their style “rhythmic post-bop," citing Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson and Betty Carter as influences, but you can also hear a bit of Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg and Blossom Dearie in their original compositions, pieces like Dorough and Frishberg's “I'm Hip," which Dearie premiered in 1966 ...
Continue ReadingChad LB: Time in a Bottle
by Jack Bowers
Sooner or later, jazz musicians--some, that is, not all--who have earned a measure of success decide they would like to try something different. In many cases, that “something different" involves a string section. Among the most recent wayfarers along the string-laden path is New York-based tenor saxophonist Chad LB (shorthand for Lefkowitz-Brown) whose recording, Time in a Bottle, showcases his impressive horn in front of a rhythm section and ten-member string component. The result is much the ...
Continue ReadingVarious Guitarists: The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. I
by Glenn Astarita
Produced by laudable guitarist/composer Joel Harrison and the Alternative Guitar Summit, The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. 1 is a compelling exploration of the intersections between jazz, classical and world music traditions--think of it as a musical United Nations, where six-stringed diplomats from various genres come together to harmonize. In the album liners, Harrison states, “The idea for this project started when I presented a concert of virtual solo performances from around the world during the pandemic." Hence, it ...
Continue Reading“…He has a command of jazz language and speaks it in a natural, unforced way- like he’s saying things as he hears them in the moment, rather than reciting what he think's he’s supposed to say..”
-Bobby Broom
“…Alexander is a superb guitarist in the bop tradition, with bags of taste, swing and chops..”
-Jazzwise
“…Ideas and chops and sensitivity. Everything we want to hear and everything we want to play. I was an instant fan!”
-Kurt Rosenwinkel
“steeped in the rich history of the guitarists that have come before him… he carries this torch into the future”
George Benson
guitar
Betty Carter
vocals
John Coltrane
saxophone
Bill Frisell
guitar, electric
Grant Green
guitar
Joe Henderson
saxophone
Frank Zappa
guitar, electric
