Ashley Alexander, a Big Band trombonist, music educator and recording artist, died on Thursday, August 18, 1988 at a jazz camp in Saskatchewan, Canada at the age of 52.

Born in Lucerne, Okla., Alexander studied trombone as a boy and taught music in Oklahoma public schools and then at the University of Northern Iowa and North Texas State University.

Over the years he played with Teddy Phillips, Billy May, Stan Kenton and Tex Beneke and recorded with his own 20-piece band, most recently an album called Power Slide.

Alexander was also the inventor of the double trombone, a combination of a slide and valve instrument.