Eric Alexander Sextet

May 16 - 23, 1 9 9 6

*** Eric Alexander Sextet

FULL RANGE

(Criss Cross)

What a workout this young tenor player gives his horn, his band, and his listeners! Alexander evinces strong ideas played in a stern, lean, never-glib style, and he shows an unslavish sense of bop tradition chorus after chorus. He never takes a tentative or mediocre solo, including the smooth crooning on "Darn That Dream" and "People Will Say We're in Love." His three solid compositions all show character. And his outfit is a killer. Sharing the front line is trumpeter John Swana, another underexposed youngblood. Chordal duties fall to pianist Kenny Barron and guitarist Peter Bernstein, never crowding, always enhancing, like tempering elders. The explosive rhythm pair are bassist Peter Washington and drummer Carl Allen.

-- Fred Bouchard