Bio
Alicia Rau
Trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals
GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter Alicia Rau is a successful freelance musician and teaching artist, based in New York City. Excelling in jazz, rock, pop, and original music, Rau is a prominent trumpeter, vocalist, and composer in the New York music scene.
A nominee for the 67th GRAMMYs, Rau was chosen to provide original compositions for the 100th Iowa Jazz Conference and for the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire's concert, showcasing female compositions. She was a guest of the Dave Douglas Trumpet Series at Smalls as well as Kitano’s Emerging Artist Series, and she has been featured on radio shows including SiriusXM's The Hoda Show, Iowa Public Radio's “Talk of Iowa”, and “Just Go Bike" as the famous trumpeting cyclist. Rau has a degree in Music and Anthropology from the University of Iowa & field study in Senegal, West Africa and has collaborated extensively with the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Medgar Evers College, and the New York Public School System.
As the bandleader and songwriter of The Rau Collective, she performs alongside bassist Marcus McLaurine, guitarist Adam Lomeo, drummer Bruce Cox, and the late great bari saxophonist Claire Daly. Rau also works with an array of artists, including Grammy-winning artist Lucy Kalantari, Denis Leary, Jimmy Fallon, Michael J. Fox, Bill Burr, SNL’s Ana Gasteyer, Julian Fleisher, John Mayer, Soul System Orchestras, the Diva Jazz Orchestra, Maxine Brown, Baby Washington, and Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes. She has performed at Lincoln Center, Yankees Stadium, Sesame Street, the Stone Pony, Boston’s TD Garden, Smalls Jazz Club, the 55 Bar, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Jazz Gallery, Highline Ballroom, and Rockwood Music Hall.
Rau was the solo trumpeter for the Broadway show Around the World in 80 Days, featured in NY1’s music video contest, reality show 100 Songs in 100 Days, films My Sassy Girl and Night on the Riviera. She has also worked with Joe Phillip’s Numinous, the Moroccan Sheepherders, Paris New York Band, Dave White’s Jazz Orchestra, Tower of Power Queens, the Divine Soul Rhythm Band, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, sharing the stage with artists including Ann Hampton Callaway, Marcus McLaurine, Santi DeBriano, Tadataka Unno, Maurice Hines, Freda Payne, Tommy Newsom, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Maxine Brown, Baby Washington, Tammy Lynn, John di Martino, and Sylvia Cuenca.
Inspired by the effects of the pandemic, Rau has created an ongoing series called Clappy Hour. Publishing over 100 livestream volunteer performances, Rau’s Clappy Hour videos are presented regularly to encourage anyone who needs it during this challenging time.
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