Bio (Alek Vila)
Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Alek Vila discovered music in the mid 80s as a teenager. He began learning piano with a Casio synthesizer while soaking in the music of Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, INXS, The Cure, U2, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, The Sugar Cubes, Tears for Fears, Crowded House, and onward. While in enrolled as a student at the University of Arizona, Alek borrowed access to the piano practice rooms and furthered his musical education with a self-directed study of jazz music and symphonic orchestration.
After college, Alek was employed by the film industry and explored scoring for film and television. In 1999, Alek chose to leave the film business and pursue a music career more directly. He assembled a collection of the best songs he had written in prior years dove head-first into the production of an album. The result is Love in Color (released Feb 2, 2000) – a contemplative and creative assembly of alternative pop songs in an "80s meets 90s meets symphonic" style. Pat DiNizio (The Smithereens) selected Alek’s song "Belief" as one of the first 40 songs ever broadcasted on XM Satellite Radio’s nationwide Unsigned Artists Channel (52). Otherwise, Love in Color has remained relatively obscure thereafter.
In 2003, Alek moved from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia to immerse himself in studying jazz piano improvisation at the Victorian College of the Arts. Later that year he moved Seattle, Washingtion and continued self-directed study of jazz piano, rock guitar, and songwriting in folk, rock, and pop styles.
Fast forward to 2009. Alek begins recording a new album with new songs written in Seattle. Producer Peter Fosso is on board. Coming up on the end of 2011, the groundwork has been laid at Elliot Bay Recording Company with drummer Moises Padilla, bassist Jeff Eason, and contributions by Jason Goessl (lead guitar), Chara Hokama (violin), Melanie Wong (violin), Meagan Peeples (viola), and Leanne Riddle (cello). Alek is now moving his operation to Portland, Oregon – where he will finish the record soon!