Alexander Pope Norris grew up in Columbia, Md. where he began studying music at the age of 9. After graduating high school he received a scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music to study trumpet. He graduated from the Conservatory in 1990. Alex began a life long relationship with Rumba Club while still in high school! He has played countless gigs with the band as well as performing on all of the group’s recordings and contributing many original compositions and arrangements to the band’s songbook and recordings.

In 1992, Norris moved to New York City to pursue a career as a jazz trumpeter.. Here, he found work with the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi’s Jazz Orchestra, and Maria Schneider’s Band. From 1994-1998, Norris was a member of Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead, becoming musical director in 1998; the final year of Carter’s life. Norris has also performed and recorded extensively in the bands of Lonnie Plaxico, Jason Lindner, and with Ralph Irizarry’s Timbalaye.

Norris has worked and/or recorded as a sideman with many noted jazz musicians such as Slide Hampton, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Pat Martino, Chris Potter, Carl Allen, John Patitucci, Mulgrew Miller, Avishai Cohen, and Brian Blade. Norris is very active in Afro-Cuban jazz, as well, having worked with Andy and Jerry González, Manny Oquendo y Cojunto Libre, Eddie Palmieri’s Afro-Caribbean Septet, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Paquito D’Rivera, Chico O’Farril Band, Oscar Hernandez, Luis Perdomo, Poncho Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto and Rumba Club.

In 1995, Norris received a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He has served on the music faculties at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Towson University, and the City College of New York. In 2007, Norris received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. From 2005-2008, Norris was also a teacher at the University of Miami.

Residing in New York City, Norris performs all over the world with his own jazz group and with the Ron Carter’s Great Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, Alan Ferber’s Big Band, Kyle Eastwood, Helen Sung, Miguel Zenon, Amina Figarova, and many other jazz and Latin jazz artists. He performs regularly at top New York Jazz Clubs such as the Jazz Standard, Smalls, Smoke, Birdland, and the Blue Note. He is also a member of the Jazz Studies Faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.

Alex Norris has released his own recordings as leader: “Alex Norris Quintet- A New Beginning”. on the Fresh Sounds/New Talent label, “Alex Norris Organ Quartet- Extension Deadline’, on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records and “Fleet From the Heat” on Steeplechase. As a sideman, Alex has recorded on over 80 CD’s; several of them for labels such as Blue Note, Verve, Impulse, Steeplechase, Palmetto and Sunnyside.