Representative Albums: "Swing Street," "Your Story: The Music of Bill Evans," "Hand-Crafted Swing"
Biography
Part of the '80s swing movement, Howard Alden is a brilliant guitarist (on both electric and acoustic) who has also mastered the seven-string guitar and the banjo. Alden started off playing banjo in Dixieland bands in pizza parlors in Southern California. When he acquired a guitar, he took lessons from Jimmy Wyble and Howard Roberts. He worked at Disneyland when he was 18 and in 1978 debuted in the big leagues with Red Norvo. Since moving to New York in 1982, Alden has worked with many great veterans (such as Ruby Braff, Kenny Davern, Woody Herman, Benny Carter, Monty Alexander, Flip Phillips, and George Van Eps) and contemporaries (including Dan Barrett, Warren Vache, and Ken Peplowski), recording frequently for Concord and on one occasion (a Harry Reser tribute set) on banjo for Stomp Off. Howard Alden is at the top of the field among swing revivalists and yet is flexible enough to record a Bill Evans tribute. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Alden moved to New York City in 1982 to play an extended engagement at the Café Carlyle with jazz pianist/songwriter Joe Bushkin. Soon afterward, he was discovered by Joe Williams and Woody Herman. In 1983 he was already collaborating with Dick Hyman, when he appeared with him and a host of other musicians at Eubie Blake's one-hundredth birthday concert.[3] In 1985 Alden signed with Concord Jazzrecord label, and has since recorded many albums with them.
He taught actor Sean Penn to play guitar for his role as the legendary (but fictional) jazz guitarist "Emmett Ray" in the Woody Allen film "Sweet and Lowdown". Alden also performed most of the music for the film along with Bucky Pizzarelli on rhythm guitar, with the music arranged by pianistDick Hyman.[5]
Awards
1990 - "Best Emerging Guitar Talent" poll winner in JazzTimes
1992 - "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" from Downbeat
1993 - "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" from Downbeat
1995 - "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" from Downbeat
1996 - "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" from Downbeat
