IN THE NEWS
MUSIC FUELED BY ACTIVISM
February 17, 2021
Featured in the March 2021 edition of Downbeat Magazine's Indie Life section, Alonzo Demetrius provides his thoughts in this no holds barred interview with Ayana Contreres. They discuss the intersection of his music, compositional choices, and activism, as well as his thoughts on the approach to jazz education. You can subscribe to the digital version or purchase the magazine using the link below.
OCCHI MAGAZINE REVIEW
January 21, 2021
Whoever says jazz is dead clearly has not heard Alonzo Demetrius. The young trumpeter not only has language on the instrument and paired it with electronic effects, but he is also an amazing composer. His live recording “Live from the Prison Nation” is as real as it gets...
ALL ABOUT JAZZ REVIEW BY MIKE JURKOVIC
January 4, 2021
Many may wear their passions on their sleeve, but none wear it more passionately than Demetrius, whose sound and vision echoes that of Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Roy Hargrove. This is good music to sink into, reflect upon, and act on.
ALONZO DEMETRIUS IN FINANCIAL TIMES
January 1, 2021
"...the meat of the album is upscale contemporary mainstream modern jazz with soulful modal themes, well-worked arrangements and a rhythmic blend of hip-hop and swing."
LAST ROW MUSIC - AUDIO REVIEW
December 21, 2020
By opening the album with spoken word from Angela Davis’ Eric Williams Memorial Lecture in 2003, trumpeter Alonzo Demetrius and his group The Ego lay the groundwork for a sonic boom that will leave a lasting impact on listeners.
THE MONTH IN JAZZ – DECEMBER 2020 BY STEREOGUM
December 18, 2020
Alonzo Demetrius' Live from the Prison Nation is featured amongst the releases from many talented artists in December in the monthly review column of Stereogums' jazz section.
BRAVE OF THE HOME - MIKE BOND FT. ALONZO DEMETRIUS
November 30, 2020
National Association of State Art Agencies commissioned piece.
Mike Bond - Roland FA-06 Synth/Composer
Alonzo Demetrius - Trumpet
Gene Shinozaki - Beatbox/vocals Video
Sound edited by Vincent Troyani.
JAZZ BUZZ (GREEK) BY VAGARAG
November 9, 2020
The very title of the album, "Live from the Prison Nation," recorded live inside Berklee, is a political statement, as it refers to the American penitentiary system and the commercial circuit that surrounds it, taking advantage of the cheap labor of prisoners.
The purpose of JazzBuzz is to publish articles, interviews, reviews, suggestions and news about improvised music. This review is in Greek - to translate, right click anywhere on the page, then select "translate".
JAZZ REFLECTIONS ON A PANDEMIC
November 8, 2020
Alonzo Demetrius is uniquely recognized for his implementation of electronic processing into his ‘live’ performance package. Many young musicians are now incorporating movies, slides, electronic enhancements and in the case of Alonzo Demetrius, activist speeches into their work. He’s entertaining us, while tickling our brains with an educational feather.
BLACK GROOVES REVIEW
November 6, 2020
Black Grooves is a music review site hosted by the Archives of African American Music & Culture (AAAMC) at Indiana University. Their goal is to promote black music by providing monthly updates on interesting new releases and quality reissues composed or performed by black artists. Read their review of Live From The Prison Nation!
DEBUT ALBUM IS DOWNBEAT EDITOR'S PICK FOR NOVEMBER
November 2, 2020
An album that finds the trumpeter angling for a space somewhere between the smooth and thoughtful tones of Theo Croker, and the driving precision of Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah.
ALONZO DEMETRIUS & YESSEH FURAHA-ALI
October 25, 2020
Music can create friendships, deepen bonds, and help people find their path in life. Such is the story of two talented Clef Club Music Education alumnus who are friends and musical collaborators. Trumpeter Alonzo Demetrius and saxophonist Yesseh Furaha-Ali, both 24, have a lot in common. They play horns, attended Berklee Music School, and trained at PCC under the guidance of jazz education director Lovett Hines.
MAKING A SCENE
October 21, 2020
Live From The Prison Nation is described as Demetrius’ personal form of protest against the Prison Industrial Complex. A resurgence of the Civil Rights Movement has occurred amidst a global pandemic, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, among many others. Read more from in this article written by Jim Hynes of Making A Scene.
ALL THAT'S JAZZ EPISODE 29
October 7, 2020
All That's Jazz is where you'll hear conversations and the backstory about everything that's Jazz. Trumpeter and composer, Alonzo Demetrius sits down for a one on one conversation that explores and uncovers the themes of the Live From The Prison Nation album.
OFFICIAL DEBUT ALBUM PRESS RELEASE
September 11, 2020
With the state of our nation and racial injustice in mind, trumpeter Alonzo Demetrius and his working band The Ego released their debut album Live From The Prison Nation with Onyx Productions on October 16, 2020. Joining Demetrius on this socially conscious recording is tenor saxophonist Yesseh Furaha-Ali, pianist Daniel Abraham Jr., bassist Benjamin Jephta, and drummer Brian Richburg Jr.
LIVE AT BERKLEE COLLEGE
May 1, 2020
Berklee Global Jazz Institute graduate Alonzo Demetrius performs his original "Royals" with his band The Ego live at Berklee College of Music.
THE EGO - "CARAVAN"
June 8, 2019
The Ego have created a long-form cycle of dissonance and consonance between musical voices, representing the search for a foundation in each other and the exploration of new sonic horizons as a collective. Jackson Albert Mann of the Boston Hassle explores this track further.