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Eric Alexander: The First Milestone
by David A. Orthmann
With the release of The First Milestone, Eric Alexander continues to make the transition from a young, hard-blowing tenor saxophonist to a mature soloist and leader of interesting small bands. Alexander is simply getting better at what he’s been doing quite well all along; that is, making high-energy music largely based on the spectrum of straight-ahead jazz of the 50s and 60s. Throughout the disc, his playing has its characteristic intensity, and his solos sound like complete statements rather than ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: The First Milestone
by Mark Corroto
Eric Alexander suffers from an ailment we’ll call Joe Lovano disease. Like his one time professor, Alexander so fluidly handles bebop patterns with relative ease that listeners dismiss his talent for casualness. His less-than-showman approach scores high with critics and fellow musicians but discovery by a wide audience requires style that has nothing to do with music. Perhaps we can come up with a nickname, that’s the ticket, a ‘gutbucket’ or ‘Red’ might be all he needs. Kidding aside, each ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Alexander The Great
by David A. Orthmann
Among the numerous projects in which Eric Alexander was involved during the nineteen- nineties (including a dozen records under his own name and approximately three times as many as a sideman) was his ongoing involvement in the soul-jazz band of the late Charles Earland. Alexander’s stint with “The Mighty Burner” was his first major gig after placing second to Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk competition for tenor saxophonists in 1991. For this disc recorded in 1997, Earland assumed the ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Man With A Horn
by John Sharpe
Consider this fact. In 1991, Eric Alexander finished second to Joshua Redman at the Thelonious Monk Institute's saxophone competition. Joshua is now one of jazz's reigning hot-shot young lions while Eric remains a virtual unknown. Who said life is fair? If there is any justice, Man With A Horn should correct this problem. Working hand in hand with veteran jazz pianist Cedar Walton, this collection of standards and originals is loaded with warmth, lyricism and sparkling interplay. Alexander's husky, breathy ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Man With A Horn
by Douglas Payne
Think of the stunning array of tenor greats buoyed at one time or another by pianist Cedar Walton: John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Clifford Jordan, Wayne Shorter, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, Lucky Thompson, Junior Cook, George Coleman and Stanley Turrentine to name only a few. And these associations take into account neither the considerable number of classics Walton has introduced to the jazz songbook nor the pianist's simply magical prowess on his instrument - like a fine wine, aged ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Man With A Horn
by Glenn Astarita
A best seller in Japan in 1997, Man With A Horn has recently been released Stateside by the folks at Milestone records. Thirty-year-old tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander shows quite a bit of verve and panache on this release. Alexander’s funk-swing based “Unsung Hero” glowingly demonstrates his sure-fired, well-pronounced phrasing and cleverly stated lyricism through his huge yet commanding tone. Here, Alexander’s shows uncanny maturity for such a young musician with a keen sense of dynamics and a rapid sense of ...
Continue ReadingEric Alexander: Mode For Mabes
by Jim Santella
Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, who turns 30 this year, has worked with Pat Martino, Freddy Cole, Mel Rhyne, Charles Earland, Peter Bernstein, Joe Magnarelli, Mark Elf, John Swana, Cecil Payne, and his teacher at William Paterson College, pianist Harold Mabern. Alexander’s ninth recording as a leader features a Chicago rhythm section of Mabern, bassist John Webber, drummer George Fludas, and hornmen Jim Rotondi on trumpet & Steve Davis on trombone. The modern mainstream sextet reveals the talents of a ‘90s ...
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