Don Alberts grew up playing in the San Francisco jazz clubs which exposed him to the challenging music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bud Powell. Much of this music became his foundation and a style rooted deeply in bebop and the blues. The romantic side of his playing comes from the influence of pianist Bill Evans.

Don has shared the bandstand with many great musicians: Leroy Vinnegar, Chet Baker, Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank, David Friesen, John Handy, Bobby Shew, Francis Vanek, Al Molina, Vince Lateano, Bruce Foreman, John Stowel, Virgil Gonsalves and others. Don was also house pianist at the famous Bop City in San Francisco.

A native of the San Francisco area, he attended San Jose City College as a music major and studied with Thomas Ryan at San Jose State. Don has appeared in many JAZZ venues and major festivals throughout the Northwest and Canada including the "Mount Hood Festival Of Jazz" in Portland, Oregon.

Beginning piano at the age of ten, his earliest influence was the Boogie Woogie style of Mary Lou Williams. His favorites; Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines, Errol Garner, George Shering, Nat Cole, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Clark, Chic Corea, and Mulgrew Miller.

Awards: Don has received the prestigious ASCAP 2005 Jazz Composers Award for his recent book "Don Alberts Original Jazz Compositions Volume Five" published by Chill House Music 2004. Don is included in the historic photo "The San Francisco Giants of JAZZ."

Recordings:
Gordon Stevens "Home Coming," "The Lizard" with Tom Harrell
Life Force Records 1999
Local Hero: "Local Hero," "Sarah's Theme," "Until I Met You"
Chill House Music 2002
Francis Vanek: Redwood Range "The Blue Mirror," "Furnace Blues"
Valentine Records 1983
Tangier: "Nightly Dancer," "Dixie Flyer," and "Table Dance"
Cisco Records 1981
Intuition: Don Alberts Trio: All compositions by Don Alberts except his one homage to Bill Evans, "One For Helen"
Chill House Music 2001
Rejuvenation: released in 2005 is a trio recorded in Taos New Mexico with drummer Diego Arencon and bassist Don
Russo featuring five of Don's original compositions.
DonMar Music Productions, 2005
Avende Miles: Trio and Quartet – All original music
Chill House Music 2005

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