Marie was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in July, 1951. She came to the United States in 1953 and settled in Brooklyn, New York where she studied classical piano through grade school, high school and part of her college years.
While at the University of Delaware, she began singing in school talent shows and various functions with rock'n'roll and country rock groups. In 1978 Marie moved to Miami, Florida and began singing jazz and performing before live audiences professionally.
She wed Caleb Drake, a talented and well known South Florida bassist in 1981. Cal was offered a job in Puerto Rico, and so they moved to the San Juan area. Marie worked in the San Juan area, and began incorporating other ethnological influences in her live performances; especially Brazilian and Latin music. She performed a blend of jazz, fusion and Brazilian/Latin music at clubs and at the Music Department of the two main Universities: Sagrado Corazon and Interamericana at Cupey.
She worked in Miami Beach resorts with pianist Eddie Higgins of London House, Chicago fame. From 1984 to the present, Marie Alexandre has been performing in various clubs and hotels in the Chicago area. Mixing club appearances with wedding receptions and corporate parties, Marie works with the Rich Daniels Big Band, Franz Benteler Orchestras, Frank Caruso Orchestra and Frank Portolese Orchestras.
In 1989, Marie made a television appearance on the NBC televised Chicago
Emmy Awards program entitled, "Chicago Sizzlin," hosted by Byron Allen.
In November of 1996 Marie was elected by her peers to the Board of the Chicago
Local AFTRA and served one term ending in November 1999.
Currently, Marie is host vocalist for a Chicago Jazz Singer's Showcase
(VocalBOP), Monday evenings approximately twice a month, at the Lushlife Night
Club in Chicago.
Marie Alexandre
Oak Park, Illinois
(708) 386-3502
Email: drakmari@ameritech.net
