A native of metropolitan Atlanta, Alvin Cobb, Jr., is a musician, producer, composer, photographer, and educator currently based in Chicago, IL. In addition to Atlanta’s urban music scene, his earliest influences consisted of his father’s eclectic record collection, the diverse marching band tradition of southern drum corps and HBCU’s, and the a cappella gospel singing he grew up hearing on Sunday mornings. Some of his first music instructors included John David, Tom Alves, and Neal Sawhney. Alvin went on to study percussion under Leon Anderson, Jr., and Willie Jones III, at Florida State University and Northwestern University respectively. He is a graduate of Florida State University (B.A. in Music Performance and Jazz Studies, 2013) and Northwestern University (M.M. in Jazz Studies, 2015).  

Alvin first gained national attention, in 2013, when he directed and performed in a multi-media tribute to legendary percussionist Max Roach and his 1960 album, We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Jason Marsalis, who was in attendance, published a review of the concert, stating, “A lot of hard work went into putting on one of the greatest recitals I’ve ever seen.” As a result of this rave review, Alvin’s first post-collegiate professional opportunity was with trumpeter and veteran Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra member Marcus Printup and his quartet.   

Since moving to Chicago, in 2013, Alvin has continued to advance his resume. In addition to leading his own ensembles, he has worked with countless artists, including Victor Goines, Sherman Irby, Patricia Barber, Sarah Marie Young, and Dee Alexander. He has dazzled audiences at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and has performed on many other notable stages across the country. Beyond Jazz, Alvin has worked with artists such as Nola Adé, Ogi, and Grammy-Award winning artist Chance the Rapper. 

He is the leader of the Alvin Cobb, Jr. Trio with bassist/vocalist Katie Ernst and pianist Julius Tucker. The group formed during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to independently produce livestream concerts that would help raise funds for grassroot charity organizations based in Chicago. The trio has held residencies at Chicago area music venues, been featured as part of the Chicago and Hyde Park Jazz Festivals, and placed 3rd in the 2022 Chicago Reader’s Best of Poll for “Best Jazz Ensemble.“ Began 2022, Alvin began composing and performing, accompanied by this trio, new original film scores to the existing silent film works of legendary Black film pioneer Oscar Micheaux (Chicago Tribune Article). In addition to new feature film scores, the trio released its debut album, “You’ll Need This Later,“ showcasing Alvin’s original compositions, in May 2024.

In addition to his outstanding performance talents, Alvin is an avid proponent of discussion and collaboration across a wide range of disciplines. His most notable collaboration has been with movement artist Ashwaty Chennat. Their work is an artistic conversation between Carnatic (commonly associated with southern India) and Black American influences, focusing mainly on topics such as family and mental health. In 2020, he and Chennat were selected as artists-in-residence at Loyola University through The Pivot Arts Program. During the program’s virtual festival, the two premiered their original short film, In Place, which explores the mental effects of navigating isolation and social unrest in the midst of a global pandemic. In 2021, the duo also received artist grants from the Walder Foundation to present excerpts from their 2019 original dance suite, Beaten Path, as part of ‘Chicago Takes 10,‘ a virtual performance series to support performing artists and arts organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alvin has also collaborated as a performer and/or composer with numerous dance, film, and theatre companies including Mandala South Asian Arts, American Rhythm Center, Music Box Theatre, Black Harvest Film Festival, and ChloeIsaBow +Co (London, UK).

Alvin also incorporates photography into his own artistic work, an endeavor that has allowed him to further develop his space within Chicago’s arts community. Most recently, his photographs have been featured at the Fulton Street Art Collective as part of the Musician-Photographers Collective exhibition, curated by Scott Hesse. In 2021, He received a Monovisions Photography Award in London, UK, for his 2019 portrait series entitled, “Letting Go.”

Edited by Alyce Cobb-Ogunsola

 Copyright 2024 Alvin Cobb, Jr.