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Biography

Charles Joseph Alley III was born October 15th, 1982 in Palo Alto, CA. From his first glance at the Saxophone on a television broadcast, the obsession began. After a few years of playing, at 14, Chazz booked his first professional gig at Rickey’s Hyatt in Palo Alto weekly for 8 months. This would be the beginning of a string of gigs throughout his tenure at Gunn High School, including regular performances at the Embassy Suites, Crowne Plaza and Stanford Park hotels, the Los Altos Wine Festival, Rotary Club Festival, and Rancho concert series. In addition to these gigs, Chazz Alley Productions would book individuals, duos and trios independently at countless private parties and venues. Concurrently Chazz attended the Stanford Jazz Workshop from 1992 to 1999, before leaving for Boston to attend Berklee College of Music in 2000.

Testing out of the required 2 years of Ear Training and Harmony classes, he was able to begin immediately on his major classes in Music Business Management. At Berklee, Chazz began to explore many types of music, playing in extra curricular groups in Hip-Hop, Blues, Jazz and Folk styles, recording and performing. He booked and held a regular weekly gig his first year at the Marriott Copley Plaza with a Jazz trio. Satisfied with his studies and experience, Chazz moved back to the Bay Area in 2002 to pursue his performance career.

Upon returning, Chazz joined and performed with several groups including the Alvin Draper Band and Trip, and was booked for many freelance Jazz gigs. In about a year he would meet trumpeter Doug Ellington and form the New Urban Groove, playing originals of his and Doug’s composition at private events and regular gigs all around the Bay Area, including the Hedely Club at the De Anza Hotel, the Mountain Winery and the Lava Lounge. In 2003 they recorded the album “Life”, which is available on iTunes as well as <cdbaby.com>. Chazz and Doug continue to play and compose to this day, and plan to release another album within this year.

Chazz recently spent a year in southern California, booked a regular Jazz gig at the Cabo Grill in Brea and began to freelance. He performed with Sheree and Sophisticated Soul, and the Vibe Project, a group that plays Jazz Fusion covers as well as originals, which he helped to compose. Chazz continues to compose originals of his own and plans an independent release featuring his Saxophone as well as Vocal sounds.

Back in the Bay Area, his Jazz trio plays Sundays at Bella Luna Restaurante in Palo Alto, and Fridays at Faz restaurant in Pleasanton, in addition to playing private events, and studio recording.

 

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