Introduction
Alexander "Alex" Iles is an American musician who serves as a trombone and jazz instructor at the California Institute of the Arts and California State University, Northridge, and has recorded and performed with many of the musical profession's most celebrated artists.
Alex Iles appears frequently as a recitalist, guest soloist, and clinician with schools and organizations, including Indiana University, Oklahoma State University, the Disney Magic Music Days Program, and his "alma mater", the Disney All-American College Band. His successful career in many musical settings arises out of his active involvement in the musically diverse Southern California freelance performing and recording community.
Iles began his musical career while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has studied trombone privately with Roy Main, Ralph Sauer, Byron Peebles, and Per Brevig. Since graduating from the university, he has gone on to become an in-demand trombonist and low-brass performer.
Among the varied palette of artists with whom Iles has performed and/or recorded are: Joe Cocker, Alan Jackson, The Tonight Show, Prince, Harry Connick Jr., the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, Danny Elfman, Avenged Sevenfold, Ray Charles, Robbie Williams, Terence Blanchard, Hans Zimmer, Henry Mancini, James Horner, Lalo Schifrin, Trevor Rabin, and John Williams. He has played in the pit orchestras of numerous Los Angeles Broadway shows including Chicago, The Lion King, The Producers, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Hairspray, and Wicked
He has also toured as lead and solo jazz trombonist with such legends as Maynard Ferguson, with whom he has recorded twice, and Woody Herman.
Since the 2000s, Iles has been performing and recording as a regular member of many of the top big bands and jazz groups in the Los Angeles area, including the Tom Kubis Big Band, Bob Florence's Limited Edition, and Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. He has also recorded and performed with The Bill Cunliffe Sextet and the David Roitstein Group.
He has also performed on the Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, the People's Choice Awards and hundreds of television series and motion picture soundtracks including Polar Express, National Treasure, The Incredibles, Troy, Robots, The Last Samurai, Pirates of the Caribbean, Planet of the Apes, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, Alias, Lost, JAG, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Seinfeld.
In the summer of 2001, Iles was one of sixteen trombonists from an international field chosen to participate in a 10-day orchestral/solo seminar hosted by New York Philharmonic Principal trombone virtuoso, Joe Alessi. In October 2002 he was appointed principal trombonist of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed as an alto tenor and/or bass trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the LA Chamber Orchestra, Opera Pacifica, the Pacific Symphony, the Pasadena Symphony, and the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Iles has also commissioned and/or premiered several new works for solo trombone. He is a Conn/Selmer performing artist and plays King and Conn trombone.
Discography
With the Gerald Wilson Orchestra
- State Street Sweet (MAMA, 1995)