Eric Alexander-Grant Stewart CD

[MartyJazz]

Normally, I'm reluctant to purchase CDs that have a retro content although to be sure, I've violated that self-imposed rule many times. However, looking over Alan Lankin's latest list of new releases, I spotted this one and am curious chiefly because I got to see Grant Stewart at 'Small's' on a visit to NYC a couple of years ago. If you like Newk's sound from the early '60s, that's mainly where he's coming from. So for me, that meant for a highly enjoyable night of music. And we know there are quite a few Eric A adherents in this forum. Right now the CD is backordered at CD Universe so I'm wondering if anybody's heard it yet and can shed some light on it.

[Dan Gould]

Well, I may be more retro than you, but with EA and Hazeltine, if I saw that at Borders or was placing an order at Cadence, I wouldn't hesitate, myself.

Bill Fenohr usually gets all Criss Cross releases, maybe he can shed light on it.

[alankin]

It's nice.

[MartyJazz]

It's nice.

Please don't take offense but "nice" doesn't cut it. It's on the same wavelength as saying something is "pleasant". With so much music and such a finite amount of time, I won't buy unless I suspect the CD is really worth having.

[alankin]

It's nice.

Please don't take offense but "nice" doesn't cut it. It's on the same wavelength as saying something is "pleasant". With so much music and such a finite amount of time, I won't buy unless I suspect the CD is really worth having.

That's my understated way of saying (assuming you like Eric Alexander) that the CD is worth having. (It's hard for me to be too verbose on four hours sleep.)

Edited March 10, 2005 by alankin

[MartyJazz]

It's nice.

Please don't take offense but "nice" doesn't cut it. It's on the same wavelength as saying something is "pleasant". With so much music and such a finite amount of time, I won't buy unless I suspect the CD is really worth having.

That's my understated way of saying (assuming you like Eric Alexander) that the CD is worth having. (It's hard for me to be too verbose on four hours sleep.)

Fair 'nuff. But I'm more interested in the presence of Grant Stewart. To your ears, is he overshadowed by EA or is it a meeting of equals with somewhat differing styles?

[Bill Fenohr]

Martyjazz,

The soloing is spit evenly between EA and Stewart on six of the eight tunes. They each have one ballad feature on the remaining two songs.

As you say, you always know which guy is playing because of their style difference. I guess this date grew out of some gigs that they played together in 2003. To my ears they seem to bring out the best in each other without the date turning into a carving contest.

Hope this helps you.

[mikeweil]

I have Grant Stewart's 1995 session More Urban Tones with Peter Bernstein, Peter Washington & Billy Drummond. Spinning it now. His tone is different from the other younger tenors around, somewhat thicker, there certainly is some Rollins strain in it. He has a looseness in his playing that I do not hear with the others.

[MartyJazz]

I have Grant Stewart's 1995 session More Urban Tones with Peter Bernstein, Peter Washington & Billy Drummond. Spinning it now. His tone is different from the other younger tenors around, somewhat thicker, there certainly is some Rollins strain in it. He has a looseness in his playing that I do not hear with the others.

I ordered that just the other day once I belatedly discovered that GS has a couple of earlier releases on the Criss Cross label. Previously as I stated earlier, I had caught him at a club in late 2002 - I actually went at Michael Weiss's suggestion - and really enjoyed hearing him, the '60s Newk influence being very evident in his playing. Prior to seeing the latest Jazzmatazz, I had erroneously thought that he hadn't recorded yet. So I was quite surprised to see that Criss Cross has a couple of early '90s releases with him as the leader. As we all know here, our curiosity must be assuaged, so I'll order the Eric-Grant once it becomes available again.

Thanks one and all for the input.

[montg]

High praise for Grant Stewart from Marc Myers' excellent jazzwax blog

jazzwax

excerpt:

I'm always suspect of CDs by contemporary jazz artists and producers' claims of excellence, probably because so many recordings today are soul-less, superficial and bereft of ideas.....

When I popped in the Stewart CD and hit "play," I was taken aback. Up came the title track, and Stewart's tone sounded eerily similar to Sonny Rollins'. Not a clone, mind you, but a sound that was deeply influenced by Newk's approach, intellect and sophisticated sense of humor

.

Stewart's someone I haven't really listened too, I'm curious to know what others think

Edited October 5, 2007 by montg

[John Tapscott]

You can check out samples for both Reeds and Deeds Cd's at amazon.com. Wailin' and Cookin'. That should give you a pretty idea of what they're all about. I don't have either, but they're tempting for sure. But if you're not into retro hard bop, they may not appeal. (I am, so it's not an issue for me).

As far as Grant Stewart goes, I highly recommend Grant's latest CD - "In the Still of the Night" on Sharp 9. No question, this man can play (and I always like to put in a good word for a fellow Canadian).

[JSngry]

Stewart's someone I haven't really listened too, I'm curious to know what others think

For me, the tone is the voice, and everything else follows from that. To that end, I can't get past the very close similarity to mid-50s Rollins' tone. It's kinda like what it would be if Rich Little hosted the Tonight Show as Johnny Carson.

If you can get past it, though, the guy can play.

[Larry Kart]

In terms of paths of influence, there are two fairly clear ones on Grant Stewart's map -- the previously mentioned Rollins one (which usually bothers me for the same reasons it bothers Jim and no doubt many others) and a Mobley-esque one. The latter comes and goes (as does the more insistent/obvious Rollins path), but IMO it leads Stewart to his best and most individual efforts. I have a friend who is probably the sternest/shrewdest of jazz I know (or perhaps he and Chuck are tied there), and he has more or less become addicted to Stewart, while remaining aware of the problem (or "problem") of those overt Sonny-isms. His excuse, if that's the way to put it, is a pretty sound one -- that Stewart is a swinging melodist, not at all a licks player (as so many neo-hard boppers are), and even if there are those borrowed touches in Stewart, genuine swinging melodists are rare things. A footnote: Can't recall which Stewart disc gave me this feeling, but at one point he reminded a good bit (though this almost certainly can't be a matter of direct influence) of Ira Sullivan's fine tenor playing on Red Rodney's 1957 album "Red Rodney 1957" (Signal), later reissued as "The Red Arrow," the album with Philly Joe on one side and Elvin on the other.

Edited October 5, 2007 by Larry Kart

[montg]

Interesing perspectives, I'm intrigued enough to pick up something from Stewart. The term 'retro hard bop' doesn't do much for me, but if I accept this music on its own terms (maybe Larry's 'swinging melodist'), maybe it'll feel genuine to me.

[Peter Friedman]

I don't have the problem that a number have mentioned of negative attitudes to someone who gets a tone similar to Sonny Rollins of the 1950's. In fact that is probably a positive quality for me! With the countless players who played in the style and/or with the tone of Louis, Prez, Bird, and Trane, a few who prefer a Rollins-ish tone is fine with me. It is far more a matter of what they play using that tone or style.

The same sort of thing is true (though somewhat different) with piano players. The very strong influence of McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans can be strongly heard in a huge number of pianists. Once again, if all they are doing is copying note for note the recordings of their influences I find that to be a problem. However, if they take that tonal and/or stylistic influence and say something on their instruments that is creative and interesting I have no problem.

To be fair, I should also mention that Sonny Rollins playing of the 1950's is music I particularly like. So as Sonny no longer plays that way with that tone, I am highly pleased to find a few musicians out there who have decided to continue that direction though with their own personal approach. For my taste the playing of Grant Stewart is vastly more enjoyable than the many players around today who use Michael Brecker or Joe Lovano as their primary influence.