Born in the Bronx to parents who fostered a great appreciation for the Arts, violist/vocalist Alva Anderson began piano lessons at the age of 10.  Her desire to be a part of the music program in high school led her to the viola.  At the time she didn't know what a viola was but it soon became her 'voice'.
 
Her other voice revealed itself while Alva was on tour in Europe with a chamber music ensemble.  Late one night at a jam session in a jazz club in Switzerland, a good buddy invited her to the microphone.  The song was “My Funny Valentine.”  The feeling and audience responses were intoxicating.  The message was clear; she was twice blessed.  With the acknowledgment of those gifts came the great joy, the responsibility to support, develop and share them with others.
 
Back in the 'States' Alva began to frequent jam sessions throughout New York City.  She attended vocal and instrumental workshops with Barry Harris, Billy Taylor, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Jimmy Heath and Billy Mitchell, Frank Owens, John Blake, Turtle Island String Quartet and Jimmy Seigler.
 
For more than 20 years Alva has shared her love for music with her students in the New York City public schools.  Many of her students have gone on to become professional musicians and music teachers.
 
Alva’s has created two one women shows; The Elegant One, the Life in Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Fine “Brown” Frame, the Music of Ruth Brown.  Her band members Tom DiPietra, guitar; Jesse Crawford, bass and Charlie Taylor, percussion have performed these concerts in libraries, churches and schools in New York City.  With this band Alva Anderson creates original music and puts her own spin on the music of these singers and the other singers who have fed her desire to sing.

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Festival Participation and Performances:
Jazz in July Amherst, MA
Lady Got Chops Brooklyn, NY
Saratoga Jazz Festival Saratoga, NY
Southern Vermont Arts Festival  Manchester, VT
Sphinx Symphony Orchestra  Detroit, MI
International Chamber Music Festival  Munich, Germany
Berks Co Jazzfest   Berks County, PA 
Basically Bach Festival  La Jolla, CA
Downeast Chamber Festival  Castine,ME
Parlor Jazz Brooklyn, NY
Rich Forum Stamford, CONN

Artists Performed with:          
Carmen MacRea
Dizzy Gillespie
Barry Harris
Tito Puente
Paul West
Vanessa Rubin
Beres Hammond
Buju Banton
Makanda Ken McIntyre
Take 6
Common
Jerry Eastman
Jimmy Seigler, Grammy Award winner
Anthony Braxton
Carmen Lundy
Marvin Hamlish

Ensemble Membership:
Harlem Symphony
Allegro Chamber Ensemble
Sphinx Symphony Orchestra
HeartStrings Quartet+
Queens Symphony
Downeast Chamber Ensemble
+Co-founder

Education/ Major Instructors:
C. W. Post   Bachelor of Fine Arts
St. John’s University Masters in Education
Queens College
Paul Doktor
Burton Kaplan
Jessie Levine

HER BAND
 
Jesse Crawford - Bass: Jesse was born in Chicago and was raised in New York.  He   studied and performed with Makanda Ken McIntyre and his Contemporary African-American Music Orchestra.  He is also a longtime member the Dennis Mitcheltree Trio.  Jesse has also played with Craig Harris, Charlie Persip, Sonny Fortune, Cecil Bridgewater, and Vanessa Rubin to name a few.  He has and contiues to perform in various New York venues.  Jesse is a co-founder of the PCK Project.
 
Tom DiPietra - Guitar: Tom has been performing around the greater New York area since the late 1970’s.  He holds a Bachelor degree and a Master’s degree in performance.  He studied with the great jazz guitarist Barry Gailbraith and advanced jazz improvisation with saxophonist Jimmy Heath.  Tom was a member of the Jazz Interactions Big Band under the direction of Joe Newman and Frank Foster.  Has played and performed in bands with such notable musicians as trumpeters Richard Williams and Tommy Turrentine: drummer Walter Perkins; saxophonists Frank Wess, Percy France and singer Al Hibbler.  He has also toured with local gospel  and R&B groups. Tom is currently performing with vocalist Alva Anderson.  He is also an accomplished mandolin player and performs on a regular basis as the leader of a guitar-mandolin duo which features music from all over the world
 
Charlie Taylor - Percussion: Charlie was born in Barbados where he was an important player in the local music scene.  He then moved to Sweden and made his musical home by playing with local and visiting musicians. He speaks fluent Swedish.  After several years in Sweden he moved to New York where he played with Makanda Ken McIntyre, Rashad Ali, Cecil Bridgewater and Michael Marcus. In 2006 he was a participant in the Barbados Jazz Festival. Charlie performs with and is co-founder of the JCK Project and released their first CD in 2007. He is enjoying the musical talent of versatile musicians like Tom Di Pietra-guitar, Jesse Crawford-bass and Alva Anderson-vocal, where original songs are skillfully presented to their audience along with mainstream jazz music.