Don Alias

[4] He studied piano and guitar as a boy but turned to percussion, using the rhythms he learned on New York's streets and one-on-one lessons with the percussionist Mongo Santamaria as a foundation.

[4] At 16 years old, he was enrolled as a conga player for the Eartha Kitt Dance Foundation when he landed his first professional gig playing with Dizzy Gillespie at the Newport Jazz Festival.

"[citation needed] Alias played alongside Jack DeJohnette and utilized a "lean and loose" syncopation, which drew from New Orleans parade tunes.

Sanborn says "[Alias] immersed himself 100 percent in the music, and he gave his all to the music.”[9] His work reached its widest audience as the drummer for Joni Mitchell's live album Shadows and Light, which notably features his drum kit on the cover.

For Mitchell's second live album, she recruited many well-known jazz artists, such as Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Lyle Mays, and Michael Brecker.

Gene Perla was responsible for introducing Alias to singer-songwriter Nina Simone, for whom he switched gears and played a traditional full-set drum kit.

[4] With Philip Bailey With Cheryl Bentyne With Carla Bley With Blood, Sweat & Tears With Jonathan Butler With Uri Caine With David Clayton-Thomas With Marc Cohn With Miles Davis With Jack DeJohnette With Klaus Doldinger With Eliane Elias With Joe Farrell With Roberta Flack With Dan Fogelberg With Michael Franks With Bill Frisell With Hal Galper With Kenny Garrett With Don Grolnick Group With Herbie Hancock With Ian Hunter With Elvin Jones With Dave Liebman With Joe Lovano With Pat Metheny Group With Bob Mintzer With Joni Mitchell With Jane Monheit With Pages With Jaco Pastorius With Weather Report With Lou Reed With Sanne Salomonsen With Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin With Lalo Schifrin With Marlena Shaw With Nina Simone With Jeremy Steig With Ira Sullivan With Steve Swallow With James Taylor With The Tony Williams Lifetime