AS A MUSICIAN LIVING IN NEW YORK, RICKY LOVES TO MAKE PEOPLE DANCE.

When he isn’t performing at festivals or on tour, he can be heard playing in New York City’s jazz clubs and music venues almost every night of the week. With a career spanning over a decade, Ricky has established himself as a prominent figure in New York’s jazz scene and beyond through his accomplishments as a recording artist, teacher, bandleader, and performing musician.

As a recording artist, Ricky Alexander has showcased his skills as a musician and composer with two albums as a leader, “Strike Up the Band,” and “I’m In Love Again”, which have Additionally, Ricky has recorded as a featured soloist on over 30 albums. Recently, the single "My Window Faces The South," from vocalist Sweet Megg, achieved the 20th spot on the Country Music Charts, exhibiting musical versatility from Early Jazz to Western Swing and more. He has played as well for numerous TV commercials, films, and television productions, including a commercial for Jet Blue, Universal Pictures’ film “Bros”, and others.

As a bandleader, Ricky leads The Early Bird Jazz Band, an ensemble that has performed over 500 gigs. From festivals such as the Syracuse Jazz festival, to downtown jazz clubs, to Theater District cafés, Ricky’s leadership has allowed him to engage a diverse variety of collaborators and audiences around the scene. Recently, Ricky and his band recorded their third album under the Turtle Bay Records label, which is due for release in the winter of 2024.

Throughout his career, Ricky Alexander has also been an active sideman. Since 2007, he has supported traditional and classic American Jazz ensembles including Dandy Wellington and his band, Richard Cortez, The Hong Kong Ballet, The Arlington Symphony, The Stamford Symphony, The Revisionists Jazz Band, The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra, The EarRegulars, Terry Waldo’s Gotham City Jazz Band, Tatiana Eva Marie, Gordon Webster, and Grammy Award Winning bands Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, and Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats.

Collaborating with esteemed artists such as Sweet Megg, Martina DaSilva, and and Vanisha Gould, Ricky has consistently delivered performances that have garnered him critical praise and popular bookings.

While Attending NYU to earn his MS in Jazz Performance, Ricky served as an Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at New York University from 2011 to 2012, sharing his expertise with undergraduate musicians. While performing and recording continue to be Ricky’s focus, he teaches a small number of private clients who are themselves accomplished professional performers!

Ricky and his band are available for booking for public and private performances directly through the contact page on this website, or through the agency The Bash. He makes his home in South Brooklyn and spends his off-days playing tennis, cooking soup, visiting new neighborhoods, and enjoying his Brooklyn Botanic Garden membership.