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Al was born in 1961, in Los Angeles California. His family moved soon after that and he grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He was introduced to the clarinet by his father when he was in elementary school, who also played clarinet when he was younger. He attended Northwestern High School and was a member of the marching band and concert band. During his first year ,"Kenny Garrett", who was a student at Mackenzie a neighboring high school, came over and sat in with the jazz band. That event changed his life and the course of his musical career. Al says: “I was mesmerized" I never heard the sax played like that live and especially by someone in my age group.(Plus the girls were going crazy over him - Kenny was too cool). So the clarinet was no longer cool to me after that experience. I bugged and begged my parents for a saxophone and they finally broke down and rented a tenor saxophone for me that Christmas.” Al would skip lunch and sit in on the jazz band class in the sax section with his horn packed in the case. It didn't stay packed away for long. Al relates: “Mr Rodgers stopped the class and told me to take that horn out and play. (When Mr. Rodgers says play you play). Now, I had only been trying to play this horn a couple of weeks. It was a challenge going from clarinet to sax. I didn't feel I was ready to hang with the jazz band, however Mr Rodgers felt the best way for me to get my feet wet was to jump right in.” While Al played in the school jazz band, he was exposed to many opportunities and experiences that he couldn't have imagined. It exceeded his expectations and took him further as a musician. The jazz band played for Dennis Rolland's audition to replace The Late Great Joe Williams for The Count Basie Orchestra. “Count Basie came to Northwestern for the audition and sat about five feet in front of me. We got to meet him and he autographed a cassette tape I had of he and Duke Ellington. And yes, Dennis got the gig(he is also a Northwestern Alumni).” In 1979, Al's jazz band had the great honor of being the first high school band from the United States to be invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. During our week long visit some of us got to meet Herbie Hancock and see Dennis Roland perform with with The Count Basie Orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald. |
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The Northwestern Jazz Band was offered full scholarships to Henry Ford CC by Mr. Donald Lupp Music Department Head at Henry Ford. “He was very instrumental in getting us invited to Montreux. His plan was to keep the same group together and build up the jazz program. So he also made a position for Mr. Ernie Rodgers to become the instructor of the night jazz band class.” Most of the jazz Band took the Henry Ford CC scholarships above the others because it would keep the group together with Mr. Rodgers, as they were like a family. “And to this day, we all stay in contact”, says Al.
In the early 80's Al also worked with Motown Legend Kim Weston with her Festival for the Performing Arts Program.
While working with Comedian Alturo Shelton as a manager, they were involved with The Temptations Reunion Tour and performed 10 dates with two shows per night. In addition he managed performances which involved BB King, O Jays, Chaka Khan, Dazz Band and more, while booking Alturo four nights per week at the Detroit hot spot "AXLES". During the day Al was part owner and operator of STARR CUSTOM T SHIRTS along with long time friend Tim Tompkins and Angela Witherspoon.
Al 's music career expanded when he went on to play with the Teddy Harris New Breed Be Bop Society Big Band and Motown Legend Martha Reeves. Al also worked with several local R&B and Jazz groups.
After selling all of his horns in 1986, Al left the music scene for seven years and dedicated himself to family life with a wife and two kids. But, as it tends to happen to real musicians: “The music bug kicked in again and I had to play something. All of my musician friends were playing music and traveling the world. The price of saxophones had gone up in seven years. So the least expensive thing I could get my hands on was not a saxophone,it was a Yamaha WX11 EWI(Electronic Wind Instrument)” Al started playing the EWI at Via Dela Rosa Baptist Church on Detroit's West Side for a short time.
Al recorded two never released tracks in 1994 with the help of his cousin Darrell (PNUT) Smith and Al McKenzie. They were key in helping Al get back into music after his divorce and seven year absence. Later Al joined jazz group Metamorphosis in 1995. They performed a few concerts as an opening act. However, the band was too big to maintain. So three of the members Al, Mike and Keith broke away and formed a group called 3 Piece Suit. They also recorded some never before released tracks. They had the chance to do one performance opening up for Roy Ayers at the Benson and Hedges 100 Nights Jazz Festival in Detroit before lead singer and piano man Michael Gatheright was tragically gunned down in his home by an intruder.
Al started performing track gigs for private events and booking several local artists. In addition, he had the opportunity to book and produce several jazz concerts with national acts MAYSA, Wayman Tisdale, Chuck Loeb, Pieces Of A Dream, Grainger and Dave McMurray. Al moved to Maryland in 1999 and took a break from playing but held onto his musical instruments this time. He once more became overwhelmed by the urge to play music and began again in 2005 . He started playing and writing music, but this time putting his creativity and talent to work for The Lord. His cousin, Reggie Crutcher who is also a musician, singer, song writer and producer put their ideas together and formed a record label called"CRUTCHER BOYZ RECORDS" and they are currently getting ready to release their first single.
In the early 80's Al also worked with Motown Legend Kim Weston with her Festival for the Performing Arts Program.
While working with Comedian Alturo Shelton as a manager, they were involved with The Temptations Reunion Tour and performed 10 dates with two shows per night. In addition he managed performances which involved BB King, O Jays, Chaka Khan, Dazz Band and more, while booking Alturo four nights per week at the Detroit hot spot "AXLES". During the day Al was part owner and operator of STARR CUSTOM T SHIRTS along with long time friend Tim Tompkins and Angela Witherspoon.
Al 's music career expanded when he went on to play with the Teddy Harris New Breed Be Bop Society Big Band and Motown Legend Martha Reeves. Al also worked with several local R&B and Jazz groups.
After selling all of his horns in 1986, Al left the music scene for seven years and dedicated himself to family life with a wife and two kids. But, as it tends to happen to real musicians: “The music bug kicked in again and I had to play something. All of my musician friends were playing music and traveling the world. The price of saxophones had gone up in seven years. So the least expensive thing I could get my hands on was not a saxophone,it was a Yamaha WX11 EWI(Electronic Wind Instrument)” Al started playing the EWI at Via Dela Rosa Baptist Church on Detroit's West Side for a short time.
Al recorded two never released tracks in 1994 with the help of his cousin Darrell (PNUT) Smith and Al McKenzie. They were key in helping Al get back into music after his divorce and seven year absence. Later Al joined jazz group Metamorphosis in 1995. They performed a few concerts as an opening act. However, the band was too big to maintain. So three of the members Al, Mike and Keith broke away and formed a group called 3 Piece Suit. They also recorded some never before released tracks. They had the chance to do one performance opening up for Roy Ayers at the Benson and Hedges 100 Nights Jazz Festival in Detroit before lead singer and piano man Michael Gatheright was tragically gunned down in his home by an intruder.
Al started performing track gigs for private events and booking several local artists. In addition, he had the opportunity to book and produce several jazz concerts with national acts MAYSA, Wayman Tisdale, Chuck Loeb, Pieces Of A Dream, Grainger and Dave McMurray. Al moved to Maryland in 1999 and took a break from playing but held onto his musical instruments this time. He once more became overwhelmed by the urge to play music and began again in 2005 . He started playing and writing music, but this time putting his creativity and talent to work for The Lord. His cousin, Reggie Crutcher who is also a musician, singer, song writer and producer put their ideas together and formed a record label called"CRUTCHER BOYZ RECORDS" and they are currently getting ready to release their first single.