His playing is lyrical and fluid, and nowhere on this lovely album does he ever sound like a tenor player on alto, but brings to the table a fully rounded concept to the smaller horn that is more than capable of standing up on its own merits.
HighNote HCD 7342
Eric Alexander (alto saxophone); David Hazeltine (piano); John Webber (bass); Joe Farnsworth (drums); plus string orchestra (arranged & conducted by Bill Dobbins)
Quartet recorded August 28, 2021 / Strings recorded December 14, 2021
Yes, you have read this correctly. It is tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and yes, he is playing alto. Not so much as a rebirth or reinvention, but more a rediscovery for the saxophonist as after learning the clarinet as a child the alto was the first saxophone that he played.
During the pandemic, after not having touched the alto for many years, Alexander wanted to see if he could reacquaint himself with the instrument.
To his surprise he found that with a bit of work this was a process that he was really enjoying, and he threw himself ever deeper into the endeavour.
After devoting his attention on the tenor saxophone for so many years and developing his sound and embouchure on the larger horn the results are hugely impressive. In wanting to document his progress on the alto he could easily have taken the easier option of playing in a quartet setting.
Some good solid tunes, play the head solo and then let the rest of the band take their turn. This would ensure that the alto was part of the group sound and possibly easier to hide any lapses or flaws.
Instead, Alexander took the decision to feature the alto as his second With Strings album after the 2019 release on which he played tenor. As the main soloist in this setting there is nowhere to hide, and there is also no need to either.
The saxophonist plays with a full and round tone, suitably sweet in the upper register and firm and robust in the middle and lower registers.
His playing is lyrical and fluid, and nowhere on this lovely album does he ever sound like a tenor player on alto, but brings to the table a fully rounded concept to the smaller horn that is more than capable of standing up on its own merits.
Alexander’s alto style is out of the bebop legacy as evidenced on the two quartet versions of ‘Blues For Diane’ that bookend the album, but when playing with the strings his playing takes on an added gravitas that allow his lines to flow seamlessly between the written score and improvised passages.
The strings are beautifully arranged and conducted by Bill Dobbins, and Alexander shows no fear in making each and every song a vehicle for his alto playing, and if the material is familiar from the Great American Songbook it is certainly none the worse for that.
His playing on ‘Maybe September’ is a revelation with his warm sound and ability to take total command of the performance from beginning to end.
Two songs from Sammy Cahn and Jimmy an Heusen in ‘All My Tomorrows’ and ‘To Love and Be Loved’ and sympathetically handled by the saxophonist and arranger Dobbins.
The variety is maintained with ‘She Was Too Good To Me’ taken as a gentle bossa nova and beautifully conceived and engaging ‘Too Late Now’.
A new chapter in the career of an established and highly accomplished saxophonist who dares at this stage to add a new voice and vocabulary to his music. And when the results are as good as this, why shouldn’t he.
Check out our interview with Eric talking about his new album here
