Keyboard virtuoso and vocalist Alex Karavasilis entertained as a “one-man ensemble” in London where he was a regular at the Latin Quarter. He frequently made trips between there and the states. In 1973 he formed Karas Enterprises to design and market synthesizers. He traveled to D.C. and did some recordings for an album release. In Baltimore Alex and his seven-keyboard unit was described by Jimmy Colimore (News American entertainment writer) as “looking like the inside of a 747 plane, and Karas as the musical pilot.”
Alex performed pop, swing, jazz, and rock as a solo artist and with various combos in the Baltimore area. Alex and Company featuring Nancy Alexander (vocals), with drummers Vince Chris (ex-Bruce Westcott Band), Dave Gimbel (ex-Ruxtons, Gate), or Scott Cathcart (ex-Scottsmen, Better Half) performed regularly at T.J’s Greenery, Pine Ridge Inn…
In 1974 they were a house band at the Playboy Club on Light Street. Karas performed in duo with drummer Joey Calato at the Hunt Valley Inn Lounge, and trio at William’s Plum Lounge at the Hilton with Colato and vocalist Sharon Hammond during 1975.
[Joey Calato]: “I joined Alex in 1974, he was at Howard Johnson lounge – Rt. 40 & Ingleside Avenue – three nights a week: Thurs, Fri, Sat). We stayed there maybe a year? We did a few weeks at the Pikesville Hilton six nights a week. Those were the days! The Hilton wanted to do a Disco night (Monday nights) we brought in some of the members of Perchance to fill in the instrumentation. Less their drummer & keyboard player. For me that was a welcome change, I was havin’ a ball!! Ike Clayton played sax with Alex and I for a while. Ike was a member of Three of a Kind +1 Band. Alex and I moved to the Paddock lounge in Hunt valley six nights a week. We were there three months or so. Perchance offered me a job in 75-76 & I jumped at the chance!”
Karas played through 1976 at the Squirrel Cage (Pikesville Hilton), and Pimlico Hotel with Frank Pastore (drums), and Sandy Crawford (vocals). Late ‘70s as house band at Chiapparelli’s (Towson) with Ora Reed (a Baltimore TV personality and Las Vegas vocalist). Karas continued working with various lineups that included vocalist Sharon Hammond (vocals), Joey Calato (drums)… Long time house band at the Cross Keys Inn (Columbia).
In addition to music, Karas was co-host (along with Bob Turk) of the syndicated television program “Wonderworld” seen in Baltimore on WJZ-TV 13 (1981-83). His other businesses have included limousine service, photography, painting, sculpting, real estate, video production…
