Born in Newark, NJ, Al began playing the bass guitar at the age of 13.

He was influenced early on by Jack Bruce and Felix Papalardi, two bass visionaries who helped expand the role of the bass guitar in rock music.

His musical horizons were broadened to include Jazz, Classical, and Indian music after hearing John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Later on, the music of Allan Holdsworth inspired Alfred to take up the electric guitar as a means of expressing another side of his musical persona. Other influences on his playing include the music of J.S. Bach, Charlie Parker, Bela Bartok, Eric Johnson, Jaco Pastorious, Jeff Berlin, Brand X, ELP, Yes and pianist Bill Evans.

Al has performed and recorded many types of music. These include Fusion, Progressive Rock, Jazz, Rock, Afro-Cuban, Blues, Country, and Reggae. Alfred believes this varied experience is responsible for his desire to create music that transcends musical boundaries yet remains respectful of tradition.

Al plays 4, 5, and 6 string fretted and fretless basses and various 6 string electric and acoustic guitars. He uses digital technology to record, compose, and perform music and plays a guitar synthesizer to gain access to sounds usually unavailable to string players.

Al uses this varied sonic palette to create a wide variety of moods and textures. Al is one of the few players who double on bass and guitar to appear in Guitar Player Magazine’s Spotlight column.
He is currently performing with the jazz/rock group Continuum.
 ©From Al Garcia's website

"What great music! I love your tone and touch and the ideas are wonderful -- beautiful, creative stuff -- and on both guitar and bass! Wow!"
Michael Manring

"Once in a long while something will cross our desks here that really captures the imagination as to what could be thought of as the perfect balance of a 'bass album' and a 'songwriter's album'. Al Garcia strikes pretty close to that ideal with his newest release, entitled Make it So. Now, this guy has got to be one of the best-kept secrets in the bass world. Killer chops and with a flawless sense of understatement ... it is a simple fact that his album Make it So is, due to its many strengths, one of the best CD's we have yet encountered in this magazine's life to date. Highly recommended! "
Bass Inside Magazine ( Warren Murchie)

"Impeccable bass, soaring guitar, lush synth tones, ethnic percussion, and tasty drumming can all be found on Al Garcia's solo release Make It So. Al Garcia is a master bassist, and this is the best CD I have heard in quite a while... Ladies and Gentlemen, I am stunned. I cannot say enough good things about this CD. Buy it. Now!"
Bassically.net (Scott Hubbell)

"Make It So is one of those rare jazz albums with universal appeal. Al’s playing is absolutely joyous. The positive energy he creates seems boundless. I recommend this album to all music lovers, from the hardcore jazzer to the hardcore rocker. It may sound sappy, but I don’t care: this album will make you feel good... The album is of such even high quality that it’s difficult to pick favorites. There are no stinkers on this album; you get great music from start to finish... The compositions communicate a joy, a love of music. The mood they convey is akin to that of Eric Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, and Jeff Berlin. Uplifting. Positive. Good, in the best sense of the word. 9.5 out of 10 Keyboards." Prog4you.com (Jeffrey Ryan Smoots)