Don Alias

Charles 'Don' Alias (December 25, 1939 in New York City – March 29, 2006 in New York City) was an American jazz percussionist.

Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums. He was, however, a capable drum kit performer: for example, Alias played drums on the song "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" from trumpeter Miles Davis's album Bitches Brew (1969) when neither Lenny White nor Jack DeJohnette were able to play the marching band-inspired rhythm requested by Davis.

Alias performed on hundreds of recordings, and was perhaps best known for his associations with Miles Davis and saxophonist David Sanborn, though he also performed or recorded with the group Weather Report, singer Joni Mitchell, pianist Herbie Hancock, the Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Nina Simone and many others. Alias was born in New York City and arrived in Boston in the early 1960s intending to study medicine but, after playing congas in a number of local bands, made an abrupt career switch.

As sideman
With Philip Bailey With Carla Bley With Miles Davis With Jack DeJohnette With Joe Farrell With Dan Fogelberg With Bill Frisell With Kenny Garrett With Elvin Jones With Joe Lovano With Joni Mitchell With Jaco Pastorius '''With Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin With Lalo Schifrin With Nina Simone With James Taylor With Weather Report With Lou Reed
 * Soul on Jazz (Heads Up International, 2002)
 * Sextet (Watt, 1986–87)
 * Fleur Carnivore (Watt, 1988)
 * The Very Big Carla Bley Band (Watt, 1990)
 * Looking for America (Watt, 2002)
 * Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970)
 * On the Corner (Columbia 1971)
 * Amandla (Warner Bros., 1989)
 * Oneness (ECM, 1997)
 * Penny Arcade (CTI, 1973)
 * The Innocent Age (Full Moon, 1981)
 * Unspeakable (Elektra Nonesuch, 2004)
 * Black Hope (Warner Bros, 1992)
 * Merry-Go-Round (Blue Note, 1971)
 * Tenor Legacy (Blue Note, 1993)
 * Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (Asylum, 1977)
 * Mingus (Asylum, 1979)
 * Shadows and Light (Asylum, 1980)
 * Word of Mouth (Warner Bros., 1980–81)
 * Love Devotion Surrender (Columbia, 1973)
 * Black Widow (CTI, 1976)
 * To Love Somebody (RCA, 1969)
 * Flag (Columbia, 1979)
 * Weather Report (Columbia, 1971) - uncredited
 * Black Market (Columbia, 1976)
 * Ecstasy (Sire, 2000)