Alvin Queen

Alvin Queen in Dachau, 2001

Alvin Queen in Aarhus,Denmark 2016
Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson

Alvin Queen is an American jazz drummer born in the Bronx, New York, on August 16, 1950. At 16, he played for Ruth Brown and Don Pullen and with the Wild Bill Davis trio. He played with trombonist Benny Green and guitarist Tiny Grimes in 1969 and replaced Billy Cobham in the Horace Silver quintet. He also played with the George Benson quartet, before rejoining Charles Tolliver in November 1971. During the seventies, he lived in Canada, before settling in Switzerland in 1979 and creating the label Nilva, an anagram of his first name.

He has also played with Michael Brecker, Kenny Drew, Bennie Wallace, Duško Gojković, Johnny Griffin, and George Coleman.^[1]

Discography

As leader

• Alvin Queen In Europe (Nilva, 1980)
• Ashanti (Nilva, 1981)
• Glidin’ and stridin (Nilva, 1981) with Junior Mance
• A day in Holland (Nilva, 1983) with Dusko Goykovich
• Lenox and seventh (Black and Blue, 1985) with Dr. Lonnie Smith
• Jammin’ uptown (Nilva, 1985)
• I’m back (Nilva, 1992)
• I ain’t looking at you (Tokuma, 2005)
• Mighty Long Way (Justin’ Time, 2008)

As sideman

With George Coleman

• At Yoshi's (Theresa, 1989)

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

• Jaw's Blues (Enja Records, 1986)

With John Patton

• Soul Connection

With Pharoah Sanders

• A Prayer Before Dawn (Theresa, 1987)

With Charles Tolliver

• Impact (Enja, 1972)
• Live at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival (Strata-East, 1973)

References