By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, December 12, 2021
One of the great things about being in the live music productions and promotions business is the ability to watch musicians create new or adapt a standard tune into something unique and wonderful. Having booked over 100 bands a year, I get to listen to many bands and many genres of music. When you are sitting in the back of an event, you start seeing the audience heads bopping, toes tapping and sometimes they singing along.
Luckily for me, I had an audience member converse with me about music genres and eventually recommend a band. Eventually I listened to Alex Desrivieres aka AlleyCatSax and his Harmonic Convergence Band. What a treat! I loved the sound and booked him / his band when I could throughout these pandemic times. He plays some pretty cool music. Take a listen.
Harmonic Convergence in Downtown South Orange Live Music Concerts
A number of folks started coming out whenever he performed and wanted to know more about Alex and his band. So, as the world inches toward our new normal, we caught up with Alex and asked a few questions about what’s happening in his musical life.
First off, love the name — AlleyCatSax! Where did that come from?
Well, it's a funny story. The name comes from a nickname I got by chance back in high school. My band director gave me a solo about 10 minutes before we went on stage and then forgot my name when announcing me on stage and introduced me as "alley-cat" and it just kind of stuck since then.
What is Harmonic Convergence?
Harmonic Convergence is a project I started after completing my last cruise ship contract. I had experienced so many new cultures and styles of music that I really wanted to have a group of people who shared a love of mixing genres, cultures, and pushing boundaries. As for the name, at the time I was watching a cartoon called "Avatar: Legend of Korra" and there was an episode where there was a phenomenon going on called "harmonic convergence" where the spirit realm and the earth realm were bridged. I couldn't help but think to myself "that's what it feels like when I play music. That's what I want it to feel like when others hear me play music." The fact that it has the musical term "Harmony" which embodies how things sound as one; and "converge" when things come together, be it through conflict and resolution, exchange, etc., the title expresses a lot of what I try to achieve in music. Who says you can't learn from cartoons hahaha
What makes up the band?
For this band, you need to have open ears, first and foremost. I like to take things into different directions often on a whim. I might hear something in the ride or an idea in the guitar and that will become the basis for a whole new direction for a tune. Every tune is a journey even if it has some clear basis to it. I don't like to be tethered to a preconceived idea. Everything is but a moment in time and goes just as quickly as it comes. Best to be present.
The guys I play with, Gordon, Ben, Ian, Ilan... they've been with me through the evolution of my philosophy and we've created some great music on a whim. Sometimes I just shout a progression and they are right there and it'll change and develop just like a baby into an adult all in the few minutes we play.
It makes it interesting when I play with new folks who have their own styles and approaches. I love playing with new people, that's how we learn, through sharing and interacting. But, we have to be open to conflicting ideas. Sometimes choosing to challenge to be flexible or to stand their ground. It's all a conversation in real time.
Where are you headed, musically, professionally, etc. in your live music journey?
That's a good question. I don't really know haha. I just want to create. Right now I'm getting an Artist Diploma in classical Oboe and English Horn. It's an opportunity to explore a new way of thinking in music while honing my craft on a secondary instrument.
I'd like to write and record more music and generally play more with people. Right now I'm exploring a lot of new territory between Jazz, western classical, and Indian classical music. Probably my dream job would be to write for video games while also performing. Video games exposed me to so many different instruments and styles of music. It's also a hobby of mine, so to combine the two would be great.
Has the pandemic affected your musical journey?
Definitely! I had originally planned to do a few more cruise ship contracts, but that was not possible due to the pandemic. I was also trying to make a few other moves to try my hand at booking a tour, something I still have yet to do. But, the pandemic gave me a new opportunity to sit still and try to figure things out here at home which has been a blessing. If that didn't happen I wouldn't be having this conversation with you. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to go back to school. I've made new connections and reconnected with others so there have been a lot of positive things that have happened which is what I choose to focus on rather than the losses I've taken and the changes I've had to make.
We are always learning. I'm only 28, so I'm still a baby in terms of life experience. I had other musical plans, too, in terms of other projects I wanted to record and other things I want to try, but they are not off the table, I'm just going with the flow.
What else are you working on?
Well, right now I'm working on a few different writing projects, a tribute to some of my favorite video game composers and another batch of original music, but I'll cross that when I come to it. I've recorded with a few different local artists in the last couple of months across a variety of genres and I'm looking forward to hearing how those come out.
While this interview is about the jazz band — are you into other musical genres or activities?
Too many to list haha. Like I mentioned, I love film and video game music. If I put my phone on random you'd hear music from all over the world in the first 30 min. Over the summer I went to an Arabic concert and started doing some research into their musical traditions. I also take private lessons on sitar to better understand Indian classical music. There is just so much out there and I'll never learn it all in my lifetime, but that doesn't mean I won't try haha.
Anything else you want your audience to know about your music?
Sometimes the music will be clear and easy to digest, sometimes it won't, but be open to feel whatever it is you feel as that is your human spirit connecting with something much bigger than yourself.
What's the best way to hear your music online?
You can find me on Spotify under "Alexandre Desrivieres" or on YouTube you can find some of my videos of fun projects I put together or clips from live shows.
What's the best way to contact or book you?
If you go to my website alleycatsax.com you can contact me there. All of my contact information is there!
Final Thoughts
While the busy summer season is over, and we start booking more live music, I am excited to state that we at Jazz973 have booked Harmonic Convergence into Clements Place Jazz this season and for the 2022 season, so please join us.
About the Author
Gregory Burrus is a Passionate Community Advocate, Live Music Producer, Reporter, and Writer about local events and happenings In and Around Essex County, NJ. Showcasing, photographing, videotaping events and creative people as they occur around town while living life every day to the fullest.
My mission is to help people, live music bands and local nonprofits reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day to day process of life. Are you ready for your interview? Let’s connect! http://gregoryburrusproductions.com.