Customer Reviews

Dead Center

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Do you remember those jazz recordings which emerged from the Van Gelder studio in the the mid' 60's? On many of them the sound was so real and full it almost reached out from the speakers to envelop you. The bass sounded like a bass and every instrument was in perfect balance. You felt you were inches from the bell of the horn. Plus there was a fire and intensity in the playing which warmed your heart and started your feet tapping. You asked yourself, "Why can't every jazz recording sound like this?"

In June 2004, the top tier tenor player Eric Alexander went into the famed Van Gelder studio and recorded a CD which will stir your soul like many of those famed Blue Note sessions. Eric's tenor sound on this CD is full and warm. There are no pinched sounds or screams for effect here, just very mature, full-bodied, up-front tenor playing. Eric's solos are flowing and melodic. From the opening strong blues, "One for Steve," you know this is the real deal. The rest of the program is strong and well balanced. Especially interesting are Herbie Hancock's gentle yet strong and memorable "Sonrisa", and McCoy Tyner's famous "Search for Peace." "Almost Like Being in Love" and "I Could Have Danced" are uptempo burners. Pat Martino's up-tempo "Dead Center" and Harold Mabern's bluesy bossa "A Few Miles from Memphis" are strong entries, and Eric gives the unlikely "It's Magic" a convincing interpretation which moves through a couple of tempo changes.

Harold Mabern, John Webber and Joe Farnsworth are longtime associates of Alexander's and the chemistry is evident from the first bar. Mabern is a perfect accompanist for Alexander and his solos consistently sparkle. The piano at the Van Gelder studio sometimes sounds a bit odd, but here it sounds wonderful.

The only drawback to the CD is the 52 minute playing time. But in spite of that, this intriguing and swinging hard bop album deserves the highest rating. "Dead Center" may be the best Eric Alexander recording yet and it's definitely one of the top CD's of 2004. It is strongly and warmly recommended to Eric Alexander's large and growing contingent of fans.

This CD has many moods and feelings: 'Sonrisa' is sensual, if not sexy, 'Search For Peace' is introspective, 'A Few Miles From Memphis' grooves along wonderfully, 'I Could Have Danced All Night' starts out as a happy waltz, then explodes into a breakneck uptempo beat burner...

(From the previous review)

"Eric Alexander has some nice moments on this disc...but for the most part, he's really not doing anything."

Well, that statement really left me floored!!!!! Eric is capable of playing rapid fire machine gun notes, but he can also play a ballad with emotion and feeling as well. (Which is a sign of a great musician, by the way.)

That last reviewer would have you believe that Eric was playing all whole notes, without any dynamics or syncopation!!!!

Many of the songs on this CD have wonderful melodies, you can't help but sing along with them.

The piano playing of Harold Mabern is just gorgeous, what a master jazz pianist! John Webber and Joe Farnsworth are solid and swinging, as usual. Folks, you can't go wrong with this CD, do not believe the negative press!!!!

My first acquaintance with Eric Alexander was from his work with the late organist Charles Earland. Pairings of tenor saxes with B3 organists are kind of classic, but they can also be disappointing. There was no disappointment with what those two did together.

Eric's work under his own name has also been very good, and this album is no exception. I love the Lester Youngish tone Alexander uses most of the time and ideas that show he's hip to most everything that has gone before.

I don't give the album five stars, only because there are a couple of places in which he seems to be playing a lot of fast notes just for the sake of playing a lot of fast notes, but not really playing anything (not uncommon with young horn players these days). It's like dumping a pile of bricks somewhere without going on to build the building. I'm tempted to say to young Eric what Lester once said to a tenor player who gave him a demonstration of pyrotechnics while they were on a bus traveling to a gig somewhere: "That's nice, but can you sing me a song?"

As it turns out, on a ballad Eric can sing a song very nicely, thank you--when he wants to, as on "It's Magic." I'd just like to hear him be a little more consistently lyrical in his up-tempo stuff as well. Overall, as a tenor sax player, Eric Alexander is unquestionably one of the "young lions."

Eric Alexander is one of the most prolific and talented tenor sax artists working today. All of his many previous albums are excellent--I have at least five of them--and DEAD CENTER is no exception.The rating is 4 stars only because the final track ends rather abruptly--less than four minutes long. Alexander's warm tone,technical artistry and timing are peerless. I saw Eric in concert last weekend at Chris's Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia. He was in fine form and his sets were outstanding. I was astonished that he plays at such small clubs and without much fanfare.Unfortunately, he is not recognized as the giant that I and others believe he is. Maybe it is time for a new agent.