Alex Coke

BIO

Alex Coke is a Texas tenor saxophonist, flutist, and composer based in Austin, Texas and Amsterdam, Netherlands. An improvisor at heart, his multifarious projects as bandleader include Live Action Brass Band, Leadbelly Legacy Band, New Texas Swing, a jazz adaptation of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas In Wales, and the post-bop quintet, Worthy Constituents, a collaboration withlongtime partner, pianist, and composer, Rich Harney.

In 2022, along with guitarist Carl Michel, Coke began writing for, performing and recording with the Alex Coke & Carl Michel Sextet, an outgrowth of a series of driveway concerts he and harpist Elaine Barber began hosting in 2020.

Coke's eclectic attitude has led him to explore repertoire and sounds from Bebop to Huddie Ledbetter, Ornette Coleman and beyond, with flute studies ranging from Eric Dolphy to Indian ragas and the extended techniques researched by Robert Dick, Ann LaBerge, and Wil Offermans. His interest in arts and culture has led to many exciting collaborations with visual artists, dancers, and poets.

A native Texan, and featured soloist on numerous projects in the USA, The Netherlands, and West Africa, Coke has had the honour of working with some of the world's most creative and diverse musicians and ensembles, including Tina Marsh, 
The Creative Opportunity Orchestra,The Willem Breuker Kollektief, Reeds and Deeds, KlezEdge, Drummer's Double Bill, Gerald Wilson, Charles Tolliver, The Paradise Regained Orchestra, Trio Henk de Jonge, The John Jordan Trio, The Mysterious Quartet From Helsinki featuring Chris Duarte, Greezy Wheels, Steven Feld, The Anyaa Arts Collective, The Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra, White Denim, Reeds and Deeds, and many, many others.

In addition to many local music awards, his recording, radio, and TV credits are numerous. In 2019, Rock Tumbler Records and the Liminal Sound series released their first vinyl recording featuring Coke's compositions with a septet that included woodwinds, brass, 2 acoustic basses, concert harp, pedal steel, and drums. In 2020, Alex was inducted into Austin Jazz Society's Hall of Fame, was awarded the Jazz at St James' A.D. Mannion Award, and was nominated for Texas State Musician. His extensive discography includes recordings from Aardvark, BVHaast, CreopMuse, daagnim, VoxLox, El Negocito and other fine independant labels worldwide.