Eric Alexander • Eric Alexander with Strings

 

To paraphrase Cole Porter: "Bird did it, Chet did it... even many vocalists I bet did it..." And now tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander did it—recorded an album with strings, that is. This represents quite a departure for Alexander who is widely known as one of the more emotive and resourceful improvisers on the scene; but so it was too for Charlie Parker, the foremost architect and unquestioned sovereign of the bop movement who was the first post-Swing Era superstar to record with a string orchestra, way back in 1950, laying bare the path that trumpeter Chet Baker and others would follow.

Is Alexander's conversion the start of an enduring love affair or more like a passing fancy? That jury remains out, but a clue may be found in the CD's modest thirty-seven-minute running time. That doesn't speak well for any sort of long-term commitment. Alexander says recording an album with strings has always been a dream of his; now that it has been done, he may presumably revert to his more customary fire-breathing persona. Meanwhile, what he has imparted are five well-crafted ballads (nothing Alexander embarks upon is less than well-crafted): his own melodious theme, "Gently," Henry Mancini's "Dreamsville," Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time," Horace Silver's "Lonely Woman" Lew Brown / Ray Henderson's standard, "The Thrill Is Gone," and one slightly more animated number, Mancini's "Slow, Hot Wind."

To carry out his purpose, Alexander has enlisted the support of his working group (David Hazeltine, piano; John Webber, bass; Joe Farnsworth, drums) and a thirteen-member string section plus flute and French horn arranged and conducted by Dave Rivello. Even at these tempos, Alexander's mastery is self-evident, his solos never less than perceptive and engaging. Whether that is enough to please fans of the more hard-blowing Alexander remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he never gives any endeavor, no matter how far removed from his natural flight path, less than the best he has to offer. He begins "Gently," then eases the tempo even more on the haunting "Dreamsville" and wistful "Some Other Time" before tenderly caressing the alluring "Lonely Woman." The sultry "Slow, Hot Wind" responds warmly to Alexander's persuasion, while "The Thrill Is Gone" affirms one last time his consummate mastery of the ballad style.

As was true on his recent album Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts, 2019), Alexander seems determined to forswear his comfort zone and traverse new avenues of inspiration. On With Strings he has fulfilled a dream, which means the album will remain close to Alexander's heart no matter how warm or chilly the collective response to it may be.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/with-strings-eric-alexander-highnote-records

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A sus 51 años, el saxofonista Eric Alexander se ha convertido en uno de los mejores representantes del post-hard más clasicista.

Y lo ha hecho sin ruido, sólo mediante un trabajo metódico y regular, al modo de una hormiga.

Tanto es así que Eric Alexander lleva ya grabados 44 álbumes a su nombre, ya sea sólo o en compañía de otros.

Colegas suyos de su misma generación como Joshua Redman o Chris Potter no han grabado tanto ni han sido tan regulares como Alexander.

Su nuevo disco lleva por título ‘Eric Alexander with Strings’ y como su nombre indica es un disco, el primero de su carrera, en el que el saxofonista se encuentra acompañado por una orquesta de cuerdas.

Y el resultado es un disco sedoso, elegante y refinado, de poco más de 35 minutos de duración. Más que suficiente para dar cuenta de su valía musical.

‘Eric Alexander with Strings’ se compone de seis temas, todos y cada uno de ellos standars de jazz.

Aquí están, por ejemplo, ‘Some Other Time’, firmado por Leonard Bernstein, ‘Lonely Woman’ de Horace Silver, ‘Slow, Hot Wind’ de Henri Mancini y ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ el blues tema popularizado por B.B. King y que acabó siendo, prácticamente, su imagen de marca.

En este ‘Eric Alexander with Strings’ se encuentra acompañado por su sección rítmica habitual; el pianista David Hazeltine, el contrabajista John Webber y el baterista Joe Farnsworth. La dirección de la orquesta y los arreglos han corrido a cargo de Dave Rivello.

Buen disco de jazz clásico, que se deja escuchar con agrado.
http://www.distritojazz.com/discos-jazz/eric-alexander-eric-alexander-with-strings


www.ericalexanderjazz.com ...

Tracks:
1 - Gently - 06:34
2 - Dreamsville - 05:09
3 - Some Other Time - 05:35
4 - Lonely Woman - 06:59
5 - Slow, Hot Wind - 06:20
6 - The Thrill Is Gone - 05:53

Personnel:
Eric Alexander: saxophone, tenor; David Hazeltine: piano; John Webber: bass, acoustic; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Label: HighNote Records
Genre: Jazz
2019
https://www.ericalexanderjazz.com/

 

 

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