Alex Anest is an American guitarist, teacher, and bandleader currently based in Southeast Michigan.
His projects as a leader or co-leader have included The Alex Anest Organ Trio/Electric Four, Nomad, The Ann Arbor Guitar Trio, and Giraffe, among others. These groups focus on improvisation, groove, creativity, and most of all a commitment to connection, both among the group members and with the audience.
He has released fourteen recordings as leader or co-leader and has appeared on another twenty-five records by a staggering variety of other artists including Gayelynn McKinney, Evan Veasey, Makadem, Nancy Ambrose King, Kevin Meisel, and Dave Sharp. Music has taken Alex around the midwest, south, and northeast of the U.S. as well as to Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy.
Regardless of the setting, Alex is an inventive and exciting player. In addition to performing and recording, he has extensive private teaching experience and was described by Ellen Rowe as “an excellent explainer of the guitar.”
Alex holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University, and has studied with Miles Okazaki, Benny Green, Ellen Rowe, Chris Buzzelli, and Jeff Halsey.
Pulp - Friday Five 8/2/24 - Christopher Porter
"Anest's Organ Trio pulls from the early 1960s where bebop met R&B for a greasy combination of improv and groove."
"No matter the lineups, the Alex Anest Organ Trio simmers through its setlists, and the guitarist says he prefers the warts-and-all energy of live recordings. My ears must be filled with warts because I didn't notice any musical miscues; just two great bands on the run, ripping through funky sets."
"All of Anest's albums are worth buying if you love soul-fueled jazz."
All About Jazz - Anest, Kendrick, & McKinney: Live at the Blue Llama Volume 1 & 2 8/18/23 - C Andrew Hovan
"With big ears and far reaching interests, Anest has learned the vernacular of not only the jazz genre, but also other styles such as progressive rock. His sound is distinguished by a warm and ringing tone, yet he doesn't shy away from the use of pedals and other effects."
"Clearly this is an organ trio with great potential. As such, further developments will be highly anticipated."
The Girl at the Rock Shows - Anest, Kendrick, & McKinney: Live at the Blue Llama Volume 1 11/1/23
"There’s something so free about everything here all the way down to the beat. It’s relaxed but with an undeniable sense of structure. "
L.A. Jazz Scene - Anest, Kendrick, & McKinney: Live at the Blue Llama Vol 1 11/1/23
"Anest has a style that sometimes recalls the single-note lines of Grant Green although he also displays his own Musical Personality. Kendrick is a throwback to the classic organ sound of the 1960's while McKinney's drumming is supportive and occasionally assertive, particularly during the uptempo pieces and solos. The music on this set will definitely please fans of the classic organ trio."
Pulp - Friday Five 10/08/21 - Christopher Porter
"The album, which features drummer Gayelynn McKinney and organist Corey Kendrick, kicks off with 'Chitlins con Carne' by Detroit guitarist Kenny Burrell and explores similarly greasy soul-jazz jams such as Grant Green's 'Idle Moments' and a slow-burn take on the jazz standard 'Willow Weep for Me'."
Gem Theatre
Aretha's Jazz Cafe
Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe
Cliff Bell’s
DJF presents Jazz from the Cellar
Trisophones
Meadowbrook Hall
The Fillmore
PJ’s Lager House
Fox Theatre
Trumbullplex
Ghostlight
Blue LLama
North Star Lounge
The Ark
Kerrytown Concert House
Aut Bar
Johnny’s Speakeasy
Blind Pig
Power Center for the Performing Arts
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
Hill Auditorium
The Starlight Room, Muskegon
Dabney& Company, Kalamazoo
Soggy Bottom - Flint
GRNoir Wine and Jazz - Grand Rapids
Trinity House Theatre - Livonia
Bell's Brewery - Kalamazoo
Ziggy's - Ypsilanti
2 West - Ypsilanti
Moriarty's Pub - Lansing
The Book Nook - Montague
Ginger Rabbit - Columbus
Lucille's - Toledo
Schwartz's Point - Cincinnati
Treelawn Social Club - Cleveland
Hidden Gem Music Club - Dayton
Natalie’s - Columbus
Cla-Zel Theatre - Bowling Green
Newport Music Hall - Columbus
Merriman's Playhouse - South Bend
Bluebird Cafe - Nashville
Robert's - Nashville
Blue Plate Special - Knoxville
Con Alma Downtown - Pittsburgh
Real Music Club - Lauchhammer
Die Schure - Villingen
Echlishausen - Bubingen
Cafe Balzac - Heidenheim
Neue Welt - Ingolstadt
Kulturpunkt -Flawil
Rössli - Staefa
Dolder 2 - Feurthalen
s’Gwölb - Regensdorf
Werkstatt - Chur
Esse-Bar - Winterthur
Die Tonne - Laupen
Kulturbuhne Lihn - Filzbach
Mahogany Hall - Bern
Elkhart Jazz Festival - Elkhart, IN
Downriver Motor City Jazz Series - Ecorse, MI
Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest - Columbus, OH
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival - Lansing, MI
Arts, Beats, & Eats - Royal Oak, MI
Brighton Smokin' Jazz & BBQ Blues - Brighton, MI
Third Place Music Festival - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Folk Festival - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Summer Festival - Ann Arbor, MI
A2 JazzFest - Ann Arbor, MI
Edgefest - Ann Arbor, MI
Women Who Drum - Detroit, MI
Trenton Summer Festival - Trenton, MI
Black Swamp Arts Festival - Bowling Green, OH
Comfest - Columbus, OH
Corktown Music Festival, Detroit, MI