Joseph Norman Alessi, born on September 20, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, is an American classical trombonist. He graduated early from high school and joined the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. In 1976-77, he was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Alessi's career took off when he became Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic in 1985. His solo debut with the orchestra in 1990 featured Paul Creston's "Fantasy for Trombone". He performed the world premiere of Christopher Rouse's Trombone Concerto in 1992, which won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Alessi has released over 14 full-length albums and collaborated with various artists. His 1999 release of George Crumb’s "Star-Child" was notably voted Best Classical Contemporary Composition at the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2001.
