M. Alex Ramirez
"I have suffered time and time again when the G# key would not respond because of the humidity. But not anymore! Thank you Key Leaves!" - M. Alex Ramirez (Saxophonist, Composer, Instructor at NYU Steinhardt)
M. Alex Ramirez is a NYC based Colombian saxophonist, educator, and composer. Starting music at the age of 4, Alex Ramirez played piano and sang until the age of 13 where he started playing the Alto sax. As a young musician, Alex Ramirez has won many awards on the sax including the maestro award for the New York Heritage Festival (2008), FMEA All-State Jazz Band (2013), Vail Jazz Workshop (2013), and the UCF Jazztet (2014).
From there, he went on to receive a full tuition scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he performed and studied with Bill Frisell, Gary Burton, Terence Blanchard, George Garzone, Kurt Elling, and Mike Gibbs. During his time at Berklee, Alex Ramirez performed at many venues including Birdland, and the Berklee Performance Center. After graduating, Alex Ramirez went on to pursue his masters degree in Jazz Studies at NYU Steinhardt where he studied with Rich Perry, Alex Sipiagin, Rich Schemaria, and Lenny White. During his time at NYU, he held a position as Adjunct Instructor in the Steinhardt School. He is currently studying with Chris Potter and Melissa Aldana. Alex Ramirez continues to perform his original compositions in contemporary jazz and Latin styles live and now through digital platforms.