Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads V (SACD single layer)

American musician Eric Wells Alexander began playing piano, clarinet, and (at age twelve) alto saxophone, but switched to tenor saxophone while studying at Indiana University and, after classical training, to jazz. He continued his studies at William Paterson College in New Jersey with Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, and pianist Harold Mabern. In 1991, he came second in the Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition behind superstar Joshua Redman and made his first recordings with Charles Earland on Muse Records in the same year. Today, he is considered one of the best tenor saxophonists of his generation and has long been represented by Venus Records with numerous albums. The 2004 album “Gentle Ballads”, which Allmusic compared to Coltrane’s Ballads LP from the early 1960s, was so successful that it spawned a whole series with changing line-ups.

The quartet line-up on “Gentle Ballads V” is complemented by the great George Cables (piano), Nat Reeves (bass) and Joe Farnswarth (drums). Eric Alexander continues to inspire in the fifth installment of the series. His distinctive, powerful tone and unsentimental approach, combined with a self-assured calm and strong spirituality, make for an impressive performance.

Venus Records was founded in 1992 by Tetsuo Hara, who had previously worked as a producer for RCA Victor. The label uses a special mastering process called “Hyper Magnum Sound” – also for the limited Japan only SACD (DSD, Non-Hybrid) of “Gentle Ballads V”. This special mastering produces a very powerful, present sound and is highly valued by audiophiles worldwide.

Lista pieselor

1. The Thrill Is Gone
2. Tenderly
3. My One And Only Love
4. From This Moment On
5. The Shadow Of Your Smile
6. Nature Boy
7. Body And Soul
8. Violets For Your Furs
9. Dear Old Stockholm
10. The Summer Knows