Solid!
"This recording is an evocation of an era. That's the raison d'être of this project." These words, by producer Todd Barkan, capture the essence of this fine disc. The era is the '50s and '60s, and the songs chosen reflect a period when, according to pianist John Hicks, "excellence was quite simply the order of the day."Tenorist Eric Alexander has the Coltrane/Rollins sound down pat. Propelled by the urgings of Hicks, drummer Idris Muhammad, and veteran bassist George Mraz, he pushes the energy and joy of these songs into fresh, new zones. The halcyon days of Prestige Records are evoked through bristling re-workings of such classics as Miles Davis's "Four," Coltrane's "Straight Street," and Mal Waldron's "Fire Waltz," while saluting lesser-known talents such as Sonny Clark ("My Conception") and Jackie McClean ("Little Melonae"). The chemistry of the group and their obvious love of the material raise this disc far beyond mere tribute--the vitality of the past clearly pushes the players to their current heights.--Wally Shoup