Eric Alexander©Andrea Canter

“…a tenor saxophonist who can play at all tempos, in all registers, and never without swinging mightily”—George Kanzler, Hot House 
 

In the past decade, tenor saxman Eric Alexander has more than lived up to his Young Lion hype. With an astounding 17 recordings to his credit as leader and dozens more as sideman, the 2003 Jazz Week Musician of the Year keeps a busy schedule composing and performing. A perennial favorite with Twin Cities’ audiences, Alexander returns to the Artists Quarter in St. Paul for Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. He’ll be joined by another New York-based hot commodity, pianist and frequent cohort David Hazeltine. 

Born in Galesburg, IL and raised in Olympia, Washington, Alexander first learned piano at age six, then clarinet at nine, and moved to alto sax at 12. With a strong classical background, Alexander became obsessed with jazz as a student at Indiana University and converted to tenor. Transferring to William Paterson College in New Jersey, he studied with Harold Mabern, Joe Lovano, and Rufus Reid. "The people I listened to in college are still the cats that are influencing me today," says Alexander. "Monk, Dizzy, Sonny Stitt, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson--the legacy left by Bird and all the bebop pioneers, that language and that feel, that's the bread and butter of everything I do. George Coleman remains a big influence because of his very hip harmonic approach, and I'm still listening all the time to Coltrane because I feel that, even in the wildest moments of his mid- to late-Sixties solos, I can find these little kernels of melodic information and find ways to employ them in my own playing." 

Settling in Chicago initially, Alexander impressed organist Charles Earland, with whom he made a number of trio recordings, including his debut as sideman, Unforgettable (1991, Muse). In 1991, Alexander placed second behind Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition. He soon moved to New York, performing at The Blue Note, The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil's, Small's, and The Iridium, appearing with Cecil Payne, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, Larry Willis, Kenny Barron, Freddie Cole, Pat Martino, and Cedar Walton, among others. After his first release as a leader, Straight Up (Delmark, 1992), he went on to record with CrissCross and Alfa, and formed the hard bop sextet, One for All, with Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Joe Farnsworth, Peter Washington, and Dave Hazeltine. And he’s issued one great recording after another, most recently on High Note with Nightlife in Tokyo (2003), Dead Center (2005), It’s All in the Game (2006), Temple of Olympic Zeus (2007), and the new Prime Time Live (2008). 

Of Nightlife in Tokyo (Milestone, 2003), Ted Panken wrote in his liner notes, “[Alexander] plays with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of inspiration, uncorking a series of immaculately executed statements of considerable invention and tonal authority… he creates clear melodic lines, slaloms through the gnarliest harmonic sequences, deftly manipulates timbre, and swings incessantly.” Maybe that’s why Eric was recently tapped by the great McCoy Tyner to join the pianist’s new septet!

David Hazeltine©John Abbott

Noted for adventurous arrangements, rhythms, and harmonies, as well as swinging, melodic original compositions, pianist David Hazeltine brings both a reverence for tradition and a unique inventive spirit to the bandstand. And he’s no stranger to the Twin Cities or the AQ, having spent his childhood and early career in the Midwest. A native of Milwaukee, Hazeltine played his first professional gig (on organ) at age 13. “Stylistically, I think there are a lot more possibilities on the piano,” said Hazeltine, looking back. “All the variations in touch on the piano make it a much more interesting instrument for me.” However, music was not his first priority, and through high school he was intent on a career in electrical engineering. At the last minute, he says, he decided to switch to music school. Still in college, David Hazeltine became the house pianist at Milwaukee’s Jazz Gallery, where his first gig was with the great tenor player Sonny Stitt, who became a mentor. Soon he was playing with such visiting legends as Charles McPherson, Eddie Harris, Pepper Adams, and Chet Baker.  

A New York resident since the early 1990s, Hazeltine played with Junior Cook and Curtis Fuller, then went on the road with Jon Hendricks. Later he played with his “Classic Trio” (drum legend Louis Hayes and bassist Peter Washington) as well as serving as sideman for Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, the Faddis-Hampton Sextet, Slide Hampton Big Band, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and Marlena Shaw, for whom he also served as arranger and musical director. When his touring allows it, Hazeltine joins Eric Alexander and Jim Rotondi in the sextet, One for All, appearing regularly at Smoke in Manhattan. A series of recordings on Criss Cross and Sharp Nine show off his penchant for adventurous harmonies and rhythms, with echoes of Art Tatum, Bill Evans, and Cedar Walton, straddling the worlds of hard bop and 21st century invention. 

Eric and Dave will bring their richly textured, bop-propelled energy to the Artists Quarter, May 23-25, for another memorable Memorial Day bash. Bassist Tom Lewis and AQ owner Kenny Horst will add to the fun. 

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street, in the lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul. Sets begin at 9 pm Friday-Saturday and at 8 pm Sunday; cover $20. See www.artistsquarter.com