Born and raised in New York City, Alex studied trumpet from a young age. After graduating from Connecticut College, where he was introduced to New Orleans-style jazz, Alex moved to New Orleans, where he played professionally for 7 years. While there, Alex founded the Messy Cookers Jazz Band. The group played frequently around the city, including Three Muses, Bamboulas, The Saint Hotel, the Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette Hotel, the Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel, the Maison Dupuy Hotel, and many private events. The group performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in the Economy Hall tent in April of 2019 and released their most recent CD, “Get Out and Get Under the Moon,” that same month.