Search - Eric Alexander :: My Favorite Things

Mesmerising!

S. Pettis | Seattle, WA | 03/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is another stellar release by Eric Alexander, this one on the Japanese Venus label. He has very familiar sidemen, David Haziltine on piano, John Webber bass, Joe Farnsworth on drums.There are no originals on this album, just a bunch of standards played with the big fat sound that Eric gets from his horn. While I love a great quintet or sextet , Alexander really excels in the quartet as his sound is so commanding to easily keep the listener enthralled. Hazeltine is also very sweet on this CD, inspired. Song selection as usual for Eric is great, nice mix of uptempo numbers like "lazy Bird" and ballads. The version of "My Favorite Things" makes me want to go camp out in a jazz club in hopes of hearing something similar. The best description of this album is one word, awesome! If he does not blow you away with "Lover Man" then you may he dead. Eric to me is like the Bill Charlap of the tenor sax. He takes these standards and redefines them and reminds you why these are standards. If we had politicians like this guy plays the saxophone we would all be in the garden of eden. Yeah I know I am trippin' but get the album and you will be too."