Eric Alexander: Timing Is Everything

CELLAR MUSIC 70423 (RECORDED APRIL 2023)

In the vernacular of a weather forecaster, expect flurries, and lots of them, on Eric Alexander’s newest release. A muscular and effusive tenor player ever since his first recordings back in the early 1990s, Alexander fills Timing Is Everything with a constant flurry of notes. Whether he’s playing ballads like “But Beautiful,” the bluesy title track or “Sasquatch,” with its nod to “Giant Steps,” Alexander’s trademark robust and aggressive style takes center stage on this set of nine tunes. He rarely lets up, even when he is accompanying singer Alma Micic on “Evergreen” (a tune that seems out of place on this more straight-ahead hard bop release). On Roland Kirk’s “Serenade to a Cuckoo,” however, Alexander takes a back seat to flutist Jed Paradies and guitarist Rale Micic (too bad they only play on one tune). Pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Alexander Claffy and drummer Jason Tiemann give Alexander the support and room to do his thing while he also gives them the opportunity to shine throughout this session recorded in two hours at the inspiring Van Gelder Studio. It’s ironic that the set begins with Coltrane’s “After The Rain,” because Alexander’s flurries continue to rain down for the rest of the session. I was hoping and waiting for the calm after the storm!

BOTTOM LINE: Timing Is Everything is what you would expect from Eric Alexander. He attacks every song with a flourishes, swoops and amazing technique. Fans of the tenor sax will be in awe of Alexander’s command of his instrument. However, he leaves little room for listeners to take a breath and enjoy the beauty of the music.