Customer Reviews

Man with a Horn

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

 

 

Having heard good things about Eric Alexander and wanting to support working jazz musicians (as opposed to increasing my trane collection), I bought "man with a horn", and was not disappointed. First of all, I found the production quality of this recording outstanding, in that Eric's sax and the other musicians sound very clear. I was also surprised at how good Eric plays. He's definitely mastered his instrument and Coltrane, Henderson, and Stitt are obvious influences to his playing. The supporting cast of Burno, Farnsworth, and Walton also sound good, and the compositions I find enjoyable to listen to, with "Unsung Hero" and "GCCJ" being my favorites. On the other hand, I'm giving this recording 4 stars instead of 5 because I do not feel the music gets extended well enough beyond phrases and themes that I've already heard countless times in the past. And this is not to suggest that an acoustic jazz ensemble cannot say anything new or fresh, for I have heard quite a few fresh examples the past couple of years (Bobby Hutcherson's "Skyline" and "McCoy Tyner plays John Coltrane" come readily to mind, as does Andreas Pettersson's "Duke with a Gibson"). In closing, I do recommend this recording, but do not expect anything overly groundbreaking other than the possible discovery of yet another great saxophone player.

There is hope after all. Just when the masses of "saxophone players" are out there on some other planet, in steps a young player who has captured what it really means to play jazz! Eric certainly has the chops and feel of a by-gone era, yet is funky enough for today's new jazz listener. All of the players on this CD are world class, the recording is excellent, and I feel this album will become a classic jazz CD. I am looking forward to more from Eric. As a part-time saxophonist myself, I am inspired by his playing and am filled with renewed hope for jazz in the years to come. Buy this CD!

I own 500 + jazz records. From old school to modern. I would say
this is one of my top five. Alexander is unique and very powerful
in his playing. Buy this one, then grab Dead Center!

A relatively early album by a fantastically talented tenor saxophonist with a great sound and a fluid delivery. The ballads and (relatively obscure) standards like the title tune, "My Shining Hour", and "Stars Fell on Alabama" are great. I found some of the other tunes irritating -- they seem mainly vehicles to show off technical prowess or gimmicks.

The first song: Man with a Horn provides very enjoyable solos where the deep sound of the tenor sax dominates. The other songs feature explosive Eric Alexander solos. The 4th and 5th songs with Jim Rotondi and Steve Davis, are quite enjoyable with dynamic solo exchanges. The 9 songs are not repetitive, they vary significantly and are well balanced.

There is finally a new star in jazz. Taking his cue from the legends of the past, Eric Alexander has revived the lost art of jazz. This album is the best of his to date, it provides haunting ballads and swingin' sets. Truly a must have for all tenor sax fans. With the old guard passing by, this bright new star will surely carry on the traditions of his predecessors Coltrane, Turrentine and others.......

This could not be more highly recommended.A brilliant tenor player in high quality company of Cedar Walton,Steve Davis and others.