The Second Milestone

by Eric Alexander

Overview

Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander is reunited with his former teacher Harold Mabern on this outstanding studio session. The young man's talent has grown immensely since his 1992 debut as a leader, developing a distinct sound that doesn't overly rely on any one influence. The opener "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" (from Fiddler on the Roof) is hardly a jazz standard, but the imaginative arrangement by Alexander and Mabern may prompt others to explore it as well. The emotional rendition of "Moment to Moment" is another joint collaboration between the two. Trumpeter Jim Rotundi sits in during several numbers, including Mabern's "The Man From Hyde Park" (a snappy reworking of "The Song Is You"), Alexander's hypnotic samba "Luna Naranja," and the leader's "The Cliffs of Asturias," which sounds as if it was influenced by the early compositions of Herbie Hancock. The rhythm section includes bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth. This very impressive date is highly recommended.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/01/2001
Label:	Milestone
UPC:	0025218931526
catalogNumber:	9315
Rank:	108164

Tracks

1. Matchmaker, Matchmaker
2. The Second Milestone
3. Moment to Moment
4. The Man from Hyde Park
5. Estate
6. Luna Naranja
7. John Neely Beautiful People
8. The Cliffs of Asturias

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Eric Alexander   Primary Artist
Harold Mabern   Piano
Jim Rotondi   Trumpet
Peter Washington   Bass
Joe Farnsworth   Drums

Technical Credits

Henry Mancini   Composer
Todd Barkan   Producer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Jamie Putnam   Art Direction
John Abbott   Art Direction