Born in Venice, California and raised in Baltimore, Jahi Alexander started playing the bass trombone while attending Peabody Conservatory’s Preparatory Program “Tuned – In”, under the direction of Elijah Wirth and Dan Trahey. He would continue his schooling at the Baltimore School for the Arts and his undergraduate degree at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, studying under Randy Campora of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
His playing can be heard on Naxos Recordings with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop. His musical background is diverse in genre, currently Bass Trombonist with the Benny Russell Big Band whose residency at The Keystone Corner in Baltimore embarks a new chapter for the Baltimore Jazz scene. Jahi has also subbed with the Jimmy Heath Big Band, who’s members encompass musicians from the Lincoln Center Jazz orchestra, Village Vanguard Jazz orchestra, and the Charles Mingus Big Band.
Jahi has subbed in the Mid Atlantic Orchestra under the Baton of Julien Benichou and has toured with former member of Canadian Brass, and Grammy award winner Joseph Burgstaller and Metropolitan Opera Star and Juilliard Faculty Kevin Short. Jahi has subbed in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Andy Einhorn and Eric Conway. Currently Jahi is studying at the Manhattan School of Music for his Masters in the Orchestral Performance track with George Curran, Bass Trombonist of the New York Philharmonic. He is member of the MSM Brass Quintet, 2nd place prize winners of the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music competition in 2020 and 2021.
He was a brass instructor and lesson teacher at Orchkids, an organization that provides musical and life guidance to under served youth in Baltimore City. Jahi has served in a similar capacity at Baltimore School for the Arts after school program “T.W.I.G.S” which provides musical instruction to students in the city as well as surrounding communities in the greater Baltimore area.
He has performed in masters classes with Charlie Vernon, Douglas Yeo, Jim Markey, Brandt Attema, Ian Blousfield, Christopher Dudley, Nitzan Haroz, David Finlayson, and Jim Nova.