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Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet: Turn It Up!
by Jack Bowers
Turn It Up!, the latest recording by organist Mike LeDonne's superb and long-lived Groover Quartet, is actually a two- CD set that reprises concert sessions recorded twenty years apart--the first, You'll See! (Cellar Records, 2004) in Vancouver's now- defunct Cellar Jazz Club, the second,Turn It Up!, in 2024 at Ken Kitchings' The Side Door in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It is hard to say what is most remarkable about the concerts: that the group has preserved its uncommon mastery and rapport ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Like Sugar
by Pierre Giroux
Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander delivers a soulful modern tribute to Stanley Turrentine with his album Like Sugar. Recorded at the renowned Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, with longtime collaborators David Hazeltine on piano, Dennis Carroll on bass, and George Fludas on drums, the album reinterprets Turrentine's spirit rather than simply copying it, resulting in a deeply swinging and cohesive set that blends tradition with contemporary artistry. Alexander begins this session with one of his ...
Continue ReadingClassic jazz from Horace Silver, Betty Carter, along with recent releases from Carole Nelson Trio, Eric Alexander, and more
by David W. Daniels
Other classic jazz from Annie Ross, Quincy Jones, and more. New releases from Cecile McLorin Salvant, Atlanta's own Karla Harris, and more. Additional birthdays for Jon Hendricks, Brother Jack McDuff, Steve Coleman, and more. Playlist Horace Silver “Ill Wind"--from Further Explorations By The Horace Silver Quintet (Blue Note) 00:00 Annie Ross “Twisted"--from Jazz Divas: Gold (Various Artists) (Verve) 9:07 Quincy Jones “Air Mail Special"--from The Classic Albums 1956--1963 (Compilation) (Enlightenment) 16:44 Gene Ammons “The Happy Blues"--from Greatest Hits: ...
Continue ReadingPatricia Brennan, Eddie Palmieri, Tatum Langley & Eric Alexander
by Joe Dimino
We blast into the 920th episode of Neon Jazz with the powerhouse duo of Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring, featuring music from their brand-new 2025 release Split Decision. From there, the journey takes us deep into the treasure chest of fresh sounds landing in the Neon Jazz mailbox--spotlighting Tatum Langley, Emma Hedrick, Randy Napoleon, Marc Seals, and Mike Pope. On a bittersweet note, we bid farewell to a towering figure who left his mark on jazz and beyond, the legendary ...
Continue ReadingEric Scott Reed: Out Late
by Neil Duggan
Prioritizing energy and passion over musical precision, pianist Eric Scott Reed recorded every track on his album Out Late as a first take, with all musicians performing together in one room. Nothing was added later--this old-style approach gives the recording its vintage feel. As Reed explains, “We rehearsed a song for a few minutes, and once everybody got the melody under their fingers, we went ahead and made a track while it was fresh. The energy is there; the rawness ...
Continue ReadingEric 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 ...
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