“…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 forged a reputation as one of the leading jazz voices of his generation. With an astounding 26 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 his almost annual Memorial Day Weekend residency.
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), Prime Time Live (2008), and just a few weeks ago, Revival of the Fittest (2009).
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 tapped by the great McCoy Tyner to join the pianist’s septet a year ago. His most recent release is Revival of the Fittest (2009, High Note).
Regardless of the ensemble or configuration, Alexander describes his musical mission as “assembling good musicians that I'm comfortable playing with, getting quality material--a combination of originals and standards and perhaps some new arrangements on standard tunes--and trying to make the kind of a recording that a jazz fan or musician can put on and enjoy listening to from start to finish.”
Plan to be there at the start, and stay to the finish, when Eric Alexander brings his brawny tone and swinging energy to the Artists Quarter, this holiday weekend, May 28-30.
The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street, in the lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul. Sets at 8:30 and 10:30 pm; $17 cover.
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