Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Alexander McCabe: The Round

Alexander McCabe: The Round

By Jerry D'Souza
October 23, 2005
View read count

In a career that has spanned two decades, Alexander McCabe has played with Chico O'Farrill, Harold Mabern, and Ray Charles, which should say something about his playing on the alto saxophone. He counts John Coltrane and Charlie Parker among his influences, and their mark is evident in his playing. However, it is quite a different thing to go out and write tunes and record an album. While there is no doubt that McCabe has what it takes to give a composition some grit, he can also go the other way and shoot a tune with an overabundance of notes.

First, the good. Joe Barbato has a nice light touch on the piano, playing with the right sense of finesse and lending a glow, as he does on the sparkling "Jugo. His is a quick scamper that he enunciates with enough accents to give it a strong harmonic presence. McCabe is assertive and in control, essaying quick changes with seamless ease. "Village Walk is another tune that captures the imagination. The ballad has McCabe etching a deep furrow, the assertion never getting out of control. Barbato makes the piano sing; with emphatic support from Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Steve Johns on drums, this is one of the better tracks.

On the other hand, the progression of "Taylor Made is heavy-handed and sluggish, with the duologue between piano and drums a mere distraction. Barbato takes "Yours into a catchy swing, but McCabe overwhelms as he blows a plethora of notes with angularities that don't fit in well. Too much ain't good. As for the rest, oh well.

Track Listing

Floating; Taylor Made; The Round; Vilage Walk; Jugo; Yours; A Cry From the Rain Forest; Salvo.

Personnel

Alexander McCabe

saxophone, alto

Alexander McCabe: alto saxophone; Joe Barbato: piano and accordion; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Steve Johns: drums.

Album information

Title: The Round | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Wamco Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Songs for Samuel
< Previous

September Suite
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.