Biography
Alex de Grassi was born on February 13, 1952, in Yokosuka, Japan, and was raised in San Francisco, California, in a deeply musical family where his grandfather played violin professionally for the San Francisco Symphony. He initially pursued trumpet as his first instrument but made a pivotal decision at age 13 to switch to guitar, a choice that would define his artistic career. Though largely self-taught as a guitarist, de Grassi studied jazz guitar with noted teacher Bill Thrasher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and later pursued classical guitar studies, jazz piano with Bay Area musician Mark Levine, and composition with renowned teacher William A. Mathieu. His early performances as a street musician in London and university coffeehouse performances evolved into a distinguished career spanning over 40 years, establishing him as one of America's foremost steel-string fingerstyle guitarists.
De Grassi's musical style synthesizes folk, neo-classical, jazz, and world music elements through an innovative approach to composing and arranging for solo steel-string guitar. His technique is characterized by intricate finger-picking, cross-rhythms, dazzling arpeggios, and ringing harmonics that create a highly orchestrated canvas of sound. His 1978 debut album "Turning: Turning Back" (Windham Hill) was cited by Acoustic Guitar magazine among their top ten essential fingerstyle recordings, followed by influential works including "Slow Circle" (1979), "Clockwork" (1981), and "Southern Exposure" (1984). His 1998 album "The Water Garden" received a Grammy nomination and an Indie Award nomination, earning recognition as Crossroads Magazine's Best Acoustic Instrumental Recording of the year. The Wall Street Journal has called his playing "flawless," while Billboard praised his "intricate finger-picking technique with an uncanny gift for melodic invention."
Beyond his solo career, de Grassi has established himself as a versatile collaborator and composer. He has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Montreux Jazz Festival, and numerous international festivals across Europe, Latin America, Japan, and North America. His collaborative projects include "Bolivian Blues Bar" (1999), exploring jazz interpretations; "Tatamonk" with Chilean folk musician Quique Cruz; and the deMania trio with bassist Michael Manring and percussionist Chris Garcia (formed 2006). He has also composed for television, including the series "Americas," and was featured in a PBS concert/interview television show titled "Alex de Grassi: The Artist's Profile." In 2006, he premiered an original concerto for steel-string guitar, string quartet, and string orchestra with Quartet San Francisco leader Jeremy Cohen, commissioned by String Letter Publishing. His legacy as an innovator in contemporary fingerstyle guitar has influenced generations of players and helped establish the foundation for modern acoustic guitar composition.
Fun Facts
- De Grassi initially played trumpet as his first instrument before switching to guitar at age 13, a decision that redirected his entire musical career toward becoming a fingerstyle guitar virtuoso.
- He began his professional music career as a street musician in London before transitioning to prestigious concert venues like Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, demonstrating his artistic evolution from busking to international recognition.
- In 2008, de Grassi made his classical guitar debut performing Rodrigo's "Concerto for Aranjuez" with the Ukiah Symphony in California, showcasing his versatility across different guitar traditions.
- De Grassi traveled to Bolivia to study and gather Andean music, which inspired the title track for his RCA/Novus recording "Altiplano" and contributed to the Arawi recording of the Contemporary Orchestra of Native Instruments for New Albion Records, demonstrating his commitment to world music exploration.
Associated Acts
- Alex de Grassi and Quique Cruz
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Bill Thrasher - Jazz guitar teacher at University of California, Santa Barbara (Jazz guitar instruction) [During university years (early 1970s)]
- Mark Levine - Bay Area jazz pianist who taught de Grassi jazz piano (Jazz piano instruction) [Post-university period]
- William A. Mathieu - Renowned teacher, pianist, and author who instructed de Grassi in composition (Composition instruction) [Career development period]
- William Ackerman - Cousin who invited de Grassi to join the Windham Hill label (Windham Hill Records association) [1978 onwards]
Key Collaborators
- Michael Manring - Electric bassist in the deMania trio, known for virtuosic and melodic playing style (deMania (2006)) [2006–present]
- Chris Garcia - Percussionist in the deMania trio (deMania (2006)) [2006–present]
- Jeremy Cohen - Quartet San Francisco leader and violinist; collaborated on commissioned concerto premiere (Concerto for steel-string guitar, string quartet, and string orchestra (2006)) [2006]
- Quique Cruz - Chilean folk musician; collaborative project exploring world music (Tatamonk) [1990s–2000s]
Artists Influenced
- Generations of fingerstyle guitarists - De Grassi's innovative approach to composing and arranging for solo steel-string guitar has influenced multiple generations of players (All recordings, particularly foundational works like Turning: Turning Back and Clockwork) [1978–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Exposure | 1983-05-01 | Album |
| Slow Circle | 1979-05-01 | Album |
| A Windham Hill Retrospective | 1992-03-24 | Album |
| Beyond The Night Sky (Lullabies For Guitar) | 1996-09-03 | Album |
| The Water Garden | 1998-01-04 | Album |
| As You Drift Away | 2008-01-01 | Album |
| The Bridge | 2020-04-17 | Album |
| Demania | 2006-05-03 | Album |
| Clockwork | 1981-05-01 | Album |
| Bolivian Blues Bar | 1999-01-01 | Album |
| Deep at Night | 1991-05-01 | Album |
| The World's Getting Loud | 1983 | Album |
| Everything's Changed | 2024-04-05 | Album |
| Now and Then: Folk Songs for the 21st Century | 2003-05-20 | Album |
| Tata Monk | 2000-01-09 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Western (Southern Exposure)
- The Water Garden (The Water Garden)
- The Rain Is Pouring (Beyond The Night Sky (Lullabies For Guitar))
- White Rain (Slow Circle)
- Sí Bheag Sí Mhór (The Bridge)
- Sleepytime (Beyond The Night Sky (Lullabies For Guitar))
- Causeway (Slow Circle)
- Turning: Turning Back - Live at Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA - October 1982 (A Windham Hill Retrospective)
- The Water Is Wide (Demania)
- Sleeping Lady (Slow Circle)
External Links
Tags: #folk, #guitarist, #new-age
References
Heard on WWOZ
Alex De Grassi has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 2025 | 08:11 | Angelfrom The Bridge | The Morning Setw/ Breaux Bridges |