Solid!

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Solid!
EAlexander Solid.jpg
Studio album by
RecordedApril 25, May 1, 1998
StudioClinton Recording Studios, New York City
Genre Jazz
Length60:35
Label Milestone
Producer Todd Barkan

Solid! is an album by Eric Alexander, with John Hicks, George Mraz, and Idris Muhammad.

Contents

Background

"Anticipating Prestige's 50th anniversary in 1999, producer Todd Barkan combed the files to find out which were the label's most successful records and then, with Hicks, chose nine songs – not all of which are in the Prestige catalog, by the way – for this generation-spanning hard bop quartet to purvey." [1]

Recording and music

The album was recorded at Clinton Recording Studios in New York City on April 25 and May 1, 1998. [2] The four main musicians are tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, pianist John Hicks, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Idris Muhammad. [1] Trumpeter Jim Rotondi plays on "Little Melonae" and "Straight Street"; vibraphonist Joe Locke substitutes for Alexander on "Fire Waltz". [1] "Light Blue" is played by Hicks alone. [1]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]

Solid! was released by Milestone Records [3] . The Penguin Guide to Jazz stated that "Alexander's sound is again tremendous; some of his most precocious solos, vaulting into double-time, are enough to have one reaching for the repeat button". [3] The AllMusic reviewer concluded: "Nothing startling here, but fans of uncompromising modern hard bop will definitely enjoy this." [1]

Track listing

  1. "Solid"
  2. "Little Melonae" (comp. Jackie McLean)
  3. "Theme for Ernie"
  4. "Fire Waltz"
  5. "Four"
  6. "Star-Crossed Lovers" (comp. Duke Ellington)
  7. "My Conception"
  8. "Light Blue"
  9. "Straight Street"

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ginell, Richard S. "Eric Alexander – Solid!". AllMusic. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  2. Eric Alexander: Solid! (CD liner notes). Milestone Records.
  3. 1 2 3 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2004). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (7th ed.). Penguin. pp. 20–21.