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Alex
was born in new york city in 1954, and at a young age
became
immersed in the city’s legacy of jazz. Studied
with guitarist George Barnes and at Berklee College of
Music in boston. Early exposure to BB King, James Cotton
and the Butterfield Blues Band planted seeds of a lifelong
love of blues music.
Schultz moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and established himself
as both a bass player and guitarist on the roots music
scene, working for two and a half years with rock and
roll/rhythm and blues pioneer Hank Ballard. This provided
some early road experience, including playing Antone’s
in Austin, Texas in 1986 and sharing stages with Jerry
Lee Lewis, Albert Collins and many other greats.
Beginning 1986 worked with L.A. harmonica master William
Clarke: recorded the W.C. Handy award winning album “Blowing
Like Hell”, played and recorded with Smokey Wilson,
and made appearances on all 4 of Clarke’s releases
on chicago’s Alligator label.
This period saw gigs with a who’s-who of the los
angeles roots music scene, including Coco Montoya, Debbie
Davies, Finis Tasby, Steve Samuels, Rob Rio, and countless
others.
In 1988 began a seven year, five record association with
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, touring Australia,
Japan, Europe and Scandinavia. Recordings included two
albums on the Black Top label and “Live at BB King’s”
recorded in Memphis. During this time the Flyers backed
Jimmy Rogers, Lowell Fulsom, Louis Myers, Pine Top Perkins,
James Cotton, Robert Ward, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, Albert
Collins, Larry Davis, etc. and supported the likes of
Albert King, BB King, Al Green, Robert Cray, Dr. John,
The Neville Bros., The Allman Bros. and more. Schultz
left the group in ‘95 to pursue other projects as
a free agent.
The first of these was a three year collaboration with
blues rebel Lester Butler (ex- ‘Red Devils’
harmonica and vocals ) which resulted in the HighTone
album “13 Featuring Lester Butler” and 4 european
tours.
At the same time, Schultz appeared on two Delmark releases
with old new york friend Tad Robinson, a collaboration
that continues to the present day: co-producing and playing
on Tad’s 2005 Handy nominated “Did You Ever
Wonder” on the Severn label, numerous festival appearances
in the U.S. and Europe, and playing on Tad’s upcoming
(2007) release “A New Point Of View”.
A wide variety of freelance work has resulted in many
recordings and tours, with artists including Italian harmonica
player Egidio ‘Juke’ Ingala, Washington DC
jump blues masters Big Joe & the Dynaflows, nu-swing
band Royal Crown Revue, ‘Sax’ Gordon, Sugar
Ray Norcia, Jimmy Morello, keyboardist Benjie Porecki,
Kirk ‘Eli’ Fletcher, Mickey Champion, Frank
‘Paris Slim’ Goldwasser, Germany’s BB
& the Blues Shacks, Italian guitarist Enrico Crivellaro
and Austria’s Raphael Wressnig.
Finally, in october 2004, after playing on over 40 discs,
Schultz’s first solo CD, “Think About It”,
was released on the Severn label, bringing it all back
home. |
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