Ed Alkalay is a gifted songwriter whose music blends country, folk, and blues elements into "songs that find a middle ground between intelligent introspections of Chris Smither and the grittier storytelling of Greg Brown." -Mark Deming, All Music Guide, December 2001

Singing in a deep, rich baritone voice, Ed is also an accomplished instrumentalist - garnering as much praise for his deft instrumental ability on guitar and clawhammer banjo, as for his voice and songs. Consistently described as one of the most distinct and diverse voices in the Washington, DC music scene, Ed Alkalay has written and performed a wide variety of critically acclaimed music: (1) His recently released CD, Turning Dorian Gray, contains 11 original songs that have gained high praise from publications all over the country; (2) He is the primary songwriter for the roots rock band "Liquid Poodle" who have been described as having "[a]mazingly ... catchy tunes that ... make you want to speed down an empty Kansas highway at 2 a.m. tapping the steering wheel for hours." (www.leftoffthedial.com); and (3) He has composed several classical compositions which were recently performed in a recital at Catholic University's Benjamin T. Rowe School of Music.

Born in Mountainside, New Jersey, Ed grew up in the New York City area. While in college, he studied English Literature and Philosophy, and also started writing music in a variety of genres. In 1993, Ed began gigging around New York City, and in time, he found enthusiastic supporters at the Fast Folk Cafe, a venue operated by the editors of Fast Folk Magazine. (Fast Folk Magazine is an audio-periodical which regularly issues compilations featuring new acoustic artists -- discoveries include such greats as Shawn Colvin, John Gorka, and Tracy Chapman.) Ed not only landed regular spots on the Cafe's stage, but in 1995 his song "I Never Rode a Freight Train" was featured on Fast Folk's compilation CD New Faces in NYC. That recording is now maintained in the Folkways division of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

In 1996, Ed's first full length CD, Diamond Chain, was released and received substantial radio airplay and critical acclaim. Two of the songs ("Straight Walkin' Man" and the title track) were featured on the New York City television program "Poet to Poet."

In 1998, after seven frantic years of working a demanding day job and passionately pursuing music by night, Ed took a two-year hiatus from writing and performing music. During that time, he re-located to Washington, DC.

After two years away from music, Ed celebrated the new millennium with an energetic return to writing and performing. Fresh with new songs, and a new desire to further expand his musical styles, Ed became involved with the Washington, DC music scene and has quickly emerged as a significant voice.

In the past two years, Ed has established himself as one of the most eclectic and entertaining performers and writers in the area. He performs original acoustic songs both as a solo act and in a duo (with talented guitarist and singer Jack Gregori) at a variety of country/folk/blues venues in and around the DC area. He also performs and writes songs for the roots rock band "Liquid Poodle." Whether as a solo act or with others, his shows and songs combine an amalgam of musical and lyrical elements, including sardonic humor, beautiful ballads, and energetic, blues-influenced rockers which make for a great evening of entertainment.

Within the last year, Ed has recorded and released his second CD, Turning Dorian Gray, to high critical acclaim. Just a small sampling of the reviews:

"From banjo and guitar licks to a bottomless vocal range, Ed Alkalay has [made] a great CD."
--RoyalJam.com, March 2002

Ed Alkalay performs in a "singer/songwriter/country style with added depth .... Turning Dorian Gray is a down-home, organic creation that is real and heartfelt.... Simply said, this is great."
--Scott Homewood, Freight Train Boogie, July 2002

"Every so often I find myself championing the cause of an artist or album I would not normally expect myself to like. This fuels my underdog fires even more because I realize that if I can be swayed, perhaps another jaded music lover like myself can be persuaded to see the light as well. Such if the case with .... Ed Alkalay .... [He] is a throwback, old school, a wandering minstrel in an age of rock-rap fusion.... Alkalay invests more narrative into each song than I thought possible, forcing me to check the runtime of almost every track, unwilling to believe that the story I just heard could have been told so economically and yet with such detail. The best painters never waste a stroke, the best directors never waste a scene, and Ed Alkalay's way with words places him in the upper echelon of modern bards."
--Justin Kownacki, Splendzine, June, 2002

"Is it folk? Is it country? Blues, maybe? Or bluegrass? Is it alternative? Your guess is as good as mine. The only thing for sure is that Ed Alkalay is turning ... the D.C. scene red hot with his cool lyrics and powerful voice."
--Chaz Topher, Leftoffthedial.com, June 2002

The songs on the CD prove Ed Alkalay to be "a very talented, gifted songwriter .... None of the songs on Turning Dorian Gray sound the same. The range is interesting from folk to country to blues - he shines in any venue .... Alkalay's career is on course. If he continues to produce such powerful lyrics and songs, his musical future looks like it is charted for success."
--Monika Taylor, Recreation News, March 2002

Moreover, since returning to writing and performing, Ed has been selected to perform at the prestigious Nashville New Music Conference in October 2002. He has also received citations from American Songwriter Magazine, which gave his song "A Two Faced Lady and a Two-Timin' Man" honorable mention in its 2001 Lyric Contest (May/June 2001 issue), and considered his song "Texas" noteworthy in its 2002 Lyric Contest (May/June 2002 issue). In addition, he finished in Second Place in the Songwriter's Drive-In Songwriting Contest for "Turning Dorian Gray." (March 2001).

Ever seeking to cultivate his skills, Ed began taking classical composition lessons in January 2001 with Professor of Composition Anthony Stark at the Benjamin T. Rowe School of Music at Catholic University. Since that time, he has composed a song cycle based on Dorothy Parker poems, a Fugue in G minor for String Orchestra, and, most recently, a Processional for String Quartet for his wedding. The Fugue for String Orchestra was performed at Catholic University in April, 2002 and the Song Cycle is currently scheduled for performance at the Benjamin T. Rowe School of Music. Ed is currently writing songs for his third CD, tentatively scheduled for a summer 2003 release, while simultaneously working on his fourth classical composition -- a Fantasy in F major for piano.

If you'd like to be on my email list for gig updates, CD releases, and fun facts about Ed, drop me a line: edalkalay@yahoo.com