Alex McLaughlin is a bassist, composer, and the newly appointed Jazz Program Director at Idyllwild Arts Academy, an international boarding arts highschool just outside of Los Angeles. He has been marked as representational of what a modern artist entails, in that he is equal parts artist, composer, and educator. Alex's voice on the double bass distills his upbringing in both the jazz lineage as well as his rooted study of the European classical canon. The counterpoint of both J.S. Bach and Ron Carter equally inform his fundamentals, alongside artists considered home to the long twentieth century: Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Scriabin, Mingus and others -- in this regard, stylistic comparisons to bassist David Holland have been made. Alex's debut effort, A Brand New State, is set for release on January 17, 2025. This all original album features Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Jeremy Siskind (piano), and Tina Raymond (drums). Alex has recently recorded his debut original album (planned January 2025 release), titled A Brand New State, and featuring Jeremy Pelt, Tina Raymond, and Jeremy Siskind. Ulysses Owens Jr. produced the record, with mixing and mastering done by Dave Darlington. The album offers a series of musical vignettes, thematically reflecting on harnessing the power of change: taking advantage of the right moment or signal to progress, and using the hardship of life as a means to define our character in constructive directions. He has also recorded a jazz standards record, On Bass, with Ulysses Owens Jr. and Christian Sands, slated for release in 2026. Recent international tours have included work with the USA Big Band, a big band outfit that performed in Santiago de Cuba for the country’s 39th annual Jazz Plaza International Festival. Domestic festival appearances have included the Columbus Jazz Festival, the Penn State Summer Festival of the Arts, the Boalsburg People’s Choice Festival, the Erie Jazz Walk, and the Erie Art Museum Blues & Jazz Festival. In addition to his educational work, Alex is enjoying freelancing and teaching privately. He currently resides in Idyllwild, CA.
“I studied with Alex while he was a teaching assistant at Penn State University. Thanks to him, I had the most productive 9 months of playing bass since I started 10 years ago. He has incredible insight into the instrument and has a wealth of knowledge to share in his own unique way. Alex is exquisitely trained as a teacher and performer, and he offers not only his technical expertise but his own musical ideas as well. Alex makes his mark as a performer in any ensemble, either jazz or orchestral, and is sure to take his students' playing to the next level.”
Ryan Murnane, PSU bass student
"I am beyond grateful for all the ways in which I have learned and grown as a musician and a bassist thanks to Alex’s teachings. Lessons with Alex always leave me excited to seek new ideas, explore new knowledge, and build new practices. Overall, Alex is a very kind, understanding, patient, creative and extremely knowledgeable bass teacher that makes learning the bass fun, engaging, and exciting."
Nicholas Palermo, PSU bass student