Home » Jazz Articles » Eric Alexander
Jazz Articles about Eric Alexander
Eric Alexander: Chicago To New York
by Jack Bowers
Eric Alexander, widely praised for years as one of the jazz world's foremost tenor saxophonists, greets listeners with an unforeseen yet tantalizing curve ball on his latest album, Chicago to New York, employing his luminous soprano sax to enhance the first two numbers, John Coltrane's “Afro Blue" and “Wise One," before unleashing his trustworthy and perceptive tenor to usher him securely through the last five. While the soprano adds spice to Alexander's musical menu, the tenor remains ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Chicago To New York
by Pierre Giroux
Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander's release, Chicago To New York, is a masterclass in modern hard bop that pays homage to the vibrant musical exchange between two of jazz's most storied cities. This is not just a geographical nod but a conversation across time and space, framed by a quartet whose cohesion and shared sensibilities transcend geographical lines. Alexander, one of the most consistent voices of his generation, joins forces with pianist Mike LeDonne, both standard-bearers of ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander's latest plus new music from Novalima, Dream Brigade and Candice Hoyes
by Hobart Taylor
Eric Alexander, Igmar Thomas Revive Big Band, Canada's Ostara Project and Candice Hoyes! Playlist Candice Hoyes Ted NashVincent Gardner “Far Away Star" from Far Away Star (Self Produced) 0:00 Sacha Boutros “J'Attendrai (featuring Giovanni Mirabassi)" from Love Trilogy (Hear Me Roar) 4:48 Eric Alexander" The Lamp Is Low" from Chicago To New York (Cellar) 8:42 Host Speaks 19:34 Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol “My Blues" from 7 Shades of Melancholia (Dunya) 21:46 Myra Melford “ Insertion 2" from Hear the ...
Continue ReadingOne For All: Big George
by C. Andrew Hovan
The world has changed dramatically since the end of the 20th century, the time period when the jazz collective One For All began to forge their stamp on the history of hard bop. Using the club Augie's on New York's upper west side as their stomping grounds, the group would make their debut recording at the beginning of 1987. The Broadway club would eventually become home of Smoke, one of the gems of the city's jazz scene and continued purveyor ...
Continue ReadingThe Heavy Hitters: That's What's Up!
by Pierre Giroux
Mike LeDonne and Eric Alexander head up a band called Heavy Hitters, which features a stellar cast of jny: New York's jazz elite, including trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, bassist Alexander Claffy and drummer Kenny Washington. They have released That's What's Up!, a live recording from Frankie's Jazz Club in jny: Vancouver, British Columbia in December 2023 that captures the authenticity, spontaneity, and emotive power of a band firing on all cylinders. The set list is an artful ...
Continue ReadingHeavy Hitters: That's What's Up!
by Jack Bowers
Heavy Hitters is a superb New York-based sextet co-led by pianist Mike LeDonne and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. Individually and as a team, the Hitters keep their eyes squarely on the ball, swing for the fences and, more often than not, slam the spheroid solidly out of the park. And on this typically upbeat session they do it in front of an appreciative audience at Frankie's Club in Victoria, British Columbia. A freewheeling groove permeates the concert, ...
Continue ReadingMelvin Rhyne: Classmasters
by C. Andrew Hovan
While it's an easy task to designate any number of Hammond B-3 organ players who have quickly fallen under the spell of innovator Jimmy Smith, it's not as simple to inventory the few individuals who've avoided Smith's overpowering influence to develop a sound and manner of their own. Melvin Rhyne is one who managed to carve a niche for himself during the '60s with a much lighter and less bombastic approach, around during the heydays as a member of Wes ...
Continue Reading
