Carl Alexius

Born April 30, 1928 Died April 18, 2003 Born in New Orleans on April 30, 1928, he first began playing trumpet professionally in Dixieland combos. After receiving Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from LSU, he was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship to study classical composition in Germany and later received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. His teaching spanned 30 years, from LSU to the University of North Carolina in Greensboro to the University of Michigan. Carl continued to perform as a 'moonlighting' jazz musician throughout his career as he gradually shifted from trumpet to bass to piano. After his retirement, he performed every weekend for the next 14 years at Ann Arbor's restaurant, the Gandy Dancer. Following his retirement from the Gandy, he continued to play occasional private engagements, taught jazz piano to private students in his home and wrote jazz arrangements for voice and instrumental performance until his death.