mrjazzman Posted March 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 It's unbelievalbe that Eric came in second to Joshua in the Thelonious Monk competition a few years ago. IMO there's no comparison between the two. I can't hear Redman's music at all. Eric more than any of the other tenorists today plays "in the tradition". I'm not really interested in the argument, but I do think it's a little silly to judge the quality of anybody's music by how "in" or "out" of "the tradition" (or any tradition) they are. I also think the initiator of this thread might have been trolling. No troll here, just interested in others opinions when they differ from mine......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjazzman Posted March 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 After reading all these responses I'm surprised a few things haven't been touched on. Apples & oranges! Alexander has admitted himself that he's not doing anything groundbreaking...he's not trying to reinvent himself constantly. He just wants to play straight ahead jazz. And he does it with a modern approach - he plays "inside" but has an incredible harmonic sense that allows him to get "outside" just long enough to be extremely tasteful in the style. Alexander has been doing this since his first release "Straight Up" and will continue to do so. I'm someone who digs straight ahead playing very much - so all in all, Alexander has been in the heaviest rotation for me in the past 10 years. Redman on the other hand is a player who is much more well-rounded and capable of playing in many styles. He's also grown quite a bit since that Monk competition. He's one of the only guys out there I can think of that has given a unique approach (notably the Elastic band on the Elastic & Momentum recordings) While Redman is extremely well rounded in terms of style, I personally don't feel he plays in the straight ahead post-bop genre better than Alexander. Can he play some funk/rock oriented stuff better than Alexander? I think so, without a doubt. I think his trio approach has been very interesting in recent years. He's very exposed...and there's so much communication going on. Sax/drums/bass, a la Sonny Rollins has been a really beautiful outlet for his playing. In terms of their command of the instrument...Redman clearly has more control in the altissimo register which he capitalizes on. Alexander I feel is much more comfortable at blazing fast tempos. I think it's also interesting what someone earlier noted...Alexander has recorded a TON more than Redman. 31 albums as a leader. 20 as a co-leader. 132 albums as a sideman (from my research - not a definitive number). Redman doesn't even touch this. In terms of live performance, I'm pretty sure that Alexander is much more active as well. Is this because Redman is pulling in more money because of greater name recognition? Or Alexander is incredibly ambitious? Probably a little of both. Regardless, Alexander & Redman are easily my two favorite living tenor players. I would kill for a recording (or even just a set list!) of what these two (along w/ Potter) played at that infamous Thelonious Monk Competition. Wow, I'm the original poster and I could not have said it better, I agree with you 100 per cent. I never said I didn't like Joshua, I own Wish and Joshua Redman and like both titles........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 This old thread has some quite interesting discussions, quite aside from from the core questions that are discussed. There are a number of names of musicians with whom I am familiar but whose work I really don't know, largely because I don't really keep abreast of modern "genre work" in the bebop/hard bop world. I would be grateful if someone who likes these players could recommend me one record for each of the following players that he or she thinks is a good representation of the player at his or her best (it needn't be a leader date): Grant Stewart Tardo Hammer Scott Hamilton Sasha Perry Steve Ash Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Modal Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 11 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said: Scott Hamilton I don't have enough exposure to say this is his "best" but it's a good album and I think he plays well:Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Grant Stewart: Estate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 59 minutes ago, Dub Modal said: I don't have enough exposure to say this is his "best" but it's a good album and I think he plays well:Â Everybody is great on this, and of course it is extra special to me for Gene Harris' presence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 For both Grant Stewart and Tardo Hammer: For Scott Hamilton, a surprisingly greasy outing with Gene Ludwig on B3: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 They should get Grant Stewart to play Don Ellis in the movie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Thanks everyone. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Dub Modal said: I don't have enough exposure to say this is his "best" but it's a good album and I think he plays well:Â I think Scottie deserves a leader date and something more recent than 36 years ago! How about: or: Â This probably my favourite Grant Stewart leader date: And here he is in other excellent company: Edited August 25, 2021 by BillF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 17 hours ago, JSngry said: They should get Grant Stewart to play Don Ellis in the movie! He will never grow these sideburns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 They have prosthetics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Yesterday read through this entire thread. It is somewhat strange to realize that all but the most recent few posts were from eleven years ago. My guess is that the opinions expressed would most likely be exactly the same today. The playing of Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart and Scott Hamilton today would have been expected to have changed a bit with all those 11 years of experience as a result of maturity and playing over all those years with a large variety of musicians throughout the world. I suppose the way to judge that might be to play their early recordings to the most recent ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 33 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said: Yesterday read through this entire thread. It is somewhat strange to realize that all but the most recent few posts were from eleven years ago. My guess is that the opinions expressed would most likely be exactly the same today. The playing of Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart and Scott Hamilton today would have been expected to have changed a bit with all those 11 years of experience as a result of maturity and playing over all those years with a large variety of musicians throughout the world. I suppose the way to judge that might be to play their early recordings to the most recent ones. Re early recordings, I think the biggest change would be heard in Scott Hamilton, who at the age of 66 has had a much longer career than the others, and whose influences sound to have moved from Ben Webster to Zoot Sims over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Yeah, Scott Hamilton keeps trying to evolve his voice. Those other guys seem to be more about refining it. Different game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 4 hours ago, JSngry said: They have prosthetics! Well, yes, but can he play trumpet? Quarter-tone, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 In Hollywood, anybody can play anything. It's the magical magic of magicistity!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 (edited) 22 hours ago, Peter Friedman said: Yesterday read through this entire thread. It is somewhat strange to realize that all but the most recent few posts were from eleven years ago. My guess is that the opinions expressed would most likely be exactly the same today. The playing of Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart and Scott Hamilton today would have been expected to have changed a bit with all those 11 years of experience as a result of maturity and playing over all those years with a large variety of musicians throughout the world. I suppose the way to judge that might be to play their early recordings to the most recent ones. I read my own comments at least, and was a bit surprised that I expressed some mild criticism of Eric Alexander's playing. I take it back. No issues whatsoever. Excellent player. This is a relatively early Alexander record but I think it stands up as one of his best:    Here is one of Scott's best IMHO   And I agree with the very positive assessment of this Grant Stewart CD Edited August 27, 2021 by John Tapscott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 Groundbreaking or not, I do really enjoy Eric Alexander's playing. Thank you everyone for these additional recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said: Groundbreaking or not, I do really enjoy Eric Alexander's playing. Thank you everyone for these additional recommendations. Don't miss this one!  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 Not sure if I responded in this thread previously, but I enjoy the music of the saxophonists mentioned in this thread.  Wouldn’t call myself a passionate fan of any of them but they’re fun to listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 I was driving in my car yesterday listening to the Real Jazz channel on SXM radio and a few seconds into a sax solo, I thought, "That's Eric Alexander". I looked at the screen and saw that it was Joe Chambers playing "Evidence". When I got home, I looked it up. Joe Chambers playing Horace Silver tunes with Eric Alexander on Tenor. I can "hear" Eric Alexander fine. This attitude that he has no originality doesn't work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 3 hours ago, bresna said: Â I can "hear" Eric Alexander fine. This attitude that he has no originality doesn't work for me. Same here, but even today it's s like he's the guy who is almost George Coleman. I guess that's his voice, because, yes it is almost immediately identifiable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted August 29, 2021 Report Share Posted August 29, 2021 John Swana: Bright Moments (Criss Cross 1301) - has both Alexander & Stewart. Nice recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted August 29, 2021 Report Share Posted August 29, 2021 1 hour ago, jlhoots said: John Swana: Bright Moments (Criss Cross 1301) - has both Alexander & Stewart. Nice recording. Â Yes, nice one. They're both in great form here: Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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