Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022) SACD ISO

Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 00:56:31 minutes | 2,27 GB
Genre: Jazz | Publisher (label): Venus Records – VHGD-374

Sixth installment from the Gentle Ballads series!

More stunning playing from tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander’s Gentle Ballads series. Included are “So In Love,” “Hush-A-Bye,” “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life” and more!

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Sunday In New York (2005) [Japan 2015] SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Eric Alexander Quartet – Sunday In New York (2005) [Japan 2015]
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 62:11 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 1,98 GB
or DSD64 2.0 (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,78 GB
or FLAC (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/48 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 811 MB

Since finishing second to Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s tenor sax competition, Eric Alexander has built an impressive discography as a leader, while also drawing a lot of attention in both the U.S. and Japan. This Venus release, recorded in 2005 and one of the last sessions by pianist John Hicks (who died just over a year later), primarily focuses on standards, with the exception of Hicks’ tense hard bop vehicle ‘Avotcja.’ A loping treatment of ‘Sunday in New York’ is a solid opener, conveying the image of a brisk walk in Central Park on a cool autumn day.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – My Favorite Things (2007) [Japan 2015] SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Eric Alexander Quartet – My Favorite Things (2007) [Japan 2015]
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 60:33 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 1,95 GB
or DSD64 2.0 (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,73 GB
or FLAC (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/48 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 797 MB

This release from Eric Alexander is a notable one. Venus Records asked the readers of Swing Journal what they would like to hear Alexander play. From that long list of requested songs, Alexander selected the tunes included on My Favorite Things. Many of the selections are well-known jazz tracks heavily associated with tenor saxophone giants of the past. Some of them include “Sugar” by Stanley Turrentine, “Airegin” by Sonny Rollins, and “My Favorite Things” and “Lazy Bird” made famous by John Coltrane.

Alexander confronts this challenging task with the confidence of an expert musician. He makes every performance his own with his strong, warm tone and unique phrasings — all while paying respect to the great tenor saxophonists. The quartet flew to Tokyo and recorded the entire album in just one day. Once again, Alexander proves that he is one of the greatest tenor saxophonists today. This album is another excellent offering to the music world.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Sunday in New York (2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Eric Alexander Quartet – Sunday in New York (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:02:35 minutes | 1,41 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Venus Records, Inc.

The album was recorded at Avatar Studio in New York on March 18, 2005. The four musicians are tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, pianist John Hicks, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The material is standards, plus “Avotcja” by Hicks.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads 3 (2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads 3 (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 55:42 minutes | 1,23 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Venus Records, Inc.

This Venus release by tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander is the third in the “Gentle Ballads” series. Like the first two releases, this album is a collection of beautiful ballads. Alexander’s powerful, expressive playing is free of gimmickry and surprisingly nuanced.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Recado Bossa Nova (2014) [Japan 2015] SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Eric Alexander Quartet – Recado Bossa Nova (2014) [Japan 2015]
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 46:02 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 1,49 GB
or DSD64 2.0 (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,32 GB
or FLAC (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,14 GB

The big star on the Japanese Venus Records’ roster and one of the top tenor saxophonists of his generation, Eric Alexander’s latest release is a Latin jazz album. Leading his regular quartet consisting of the powerful Harold Mabern on piano, Nat Reeves on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums, Alexander blows his powerful horn on the bossa nova and Cuban rhythms.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads 2 (2014/2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads 2 (2014/2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:04:44 minutes | 1,42 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Venus Records, Inc.

Like its predecessor, Gentle Ballads, Gentle Ballads, Vol. 2 is another fairly low-key session led by Eric Alexander. Not only is the personnel identical (pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth), but the cover art once again features a nude photo by the late Jeanloup Sieff, quite possibly the same model from the same photo shoot. The tenor saxophonist mixes things up a bit more during this 2006 session, playing ballads that were hits for popular singers (“Mona Lisa” and “I’m a Fool to Want You”), 1960s Broadway (“Who Can I Turn To”), and 1960s pop (“The Look of Love”), in addition to the expected standards. Best are the deliberate take of Duke Ellington’s timeless melancholy ballad “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” and a bluesy, loping treatment of Neal Hefti’s “Li’l Darlin’,” which became a signature piece for Count Basie. The John Coltrane influence is again apparent, though Alexander isn’t a mere clone, even if this enjoyable date falls short of being groundbreaking.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022) SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022)
Pio BDP-80FD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 >1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front+Back | 2.44 GB
FLAC tracks 2.0 24bit/88.2 kHz | Front+Back | 1.26 GB

The fifth installment of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander’s “Gentle Ballads” series doesn’t disappoint. His unwavering, strong tone and unsentimental approach, combined with a certain peacefulness and strong spirituality of his playing, produce stunning results. For the first time in this series, master pianist George Cables joins the band and makes valuable contributions.

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Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Eric Alexander Quartet – Gentle Ballads VI (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 55:59 minutes | 1,13 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Venus Records, Inc.

More stunning playing from tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander’s Gentle Ballads series. Included are “So In Love,” “Hush-A-Bye,” “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life” and more!

(more…)

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