The Battle: Live at Smoke

The Battle: Live at Smoke Artist: Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring
Label: Highnote
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 632375713720
EAN: 0632375713720
ASIN: B000A7Q22S


Release Date: 2005-08-16

Related Categories:

Bebop General Bebop General
Related | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Jazz | Styles | Music
Modern Postbebop Modern Postbebop
Related | Jazz | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Pop | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music
Hard Bop Hard Bop
Related | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Blues Up And Down
  2. Road Song
  3. Firm Roots
  4. Ritual Dance
  5. Shirley's Song
  6. Eleven Years

Similar Items:

  1. It's All in the Game
  2. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall
  3. Dead Center
  4. The Lineup
  5. Nightlife in Tokyo

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars More skirmish than battle but definitely LIVE!.......2006-01-08

Great live recording at the venerable New York all jazz nightclub. Eric Alexander, arguably the most distinguishable and prolific tenor sax on today's jazz scene, is a fixture there. Don't be alarmed that there are only 6 tracks, each is approximately 9-10 minutes long and there is much to enjoy. Each track follows a similar format, alto and tenor sax start out harmonizing-then each take a turn with gut-spilling solos followed by some fine piano work. Herring does some impressive work here and Alexander is Alexander. This CD captures the competitive juices that were flowing that night.

4 out of 5 stars Hard Bop Night at Smoke!.......2005-08-26

Virtually any release that has been recorded at the Smoke bistro in NY (only 70 seats) will grab the attention of 'live-recording' afficiandos. I do all my searches by typing 'Live': hence the result was to be the first to 'review' this CD. I had heard Eric Alexander this same month at the Stanford Jazz Fest. and I can assure you - this set is how this robust tenor player sounds - here and now!

I had not heard at any length, the work of altoist Vincent Herring, priorly. The Battle is a misnomer, actually. The work of these two main soloists compliment each other rather than make any attempt to divert attention from the soloing at hand.

It's a typical hard-bop set...I'll let others go into the details. Carl Allen, the drummer was also part of the group Eric Alexander played with at Stanford. Guy plays a lot of poly-rhythms a-la Elvin, all with a straight face! You will not be disappointed with his timekeeping, herein.

Despite being a two reed(s) set, quite a bit of solo space is made for Mike LeDonne and he holds his own quite well. Ditto for the bassist, John Webber, whose firm beat will make its presence known in your subwoofer!

Music CD:

  1. Best of the Baja Marimba Band ~ Baja Marimba Band
  2. Blowout Comb ~ Digable Planets
  3. Solo Concerts: Bremen & Lausanne ~ Keith Jarrett
  4. Closer ~ David Sanborn
  5. Soul Station ~ Hank Mobley
  6. Vienna Concert ~ Keith Jarrett
  7. Blues and Roots ~ Charles Mingus
  8. Sapphire Blue ~ Larry Carlton
  9. Giant Steps ~ John Coltrane
  10. With One Voice ~ Ramsey Lewis

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Los Grandes Exitos en Espanol ~ Cypress Hill

Rock Star: A Night at the Mayan Theatre ~ Various Artists

Let Them Eat Rock ~ The Upper Crust

Hollywood Cool ~ Various Artists

Stinky Little Gods ~ Fatso Jetson

Memories

Charcoal Soul ~ Wayne Young

Live

Swing'n ~ Hi-c

Real Love ~ Master P