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Alex Graham
"Some of the great alto players, Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods and even a touch of Johnny Hodges can be discerned as he works to extend the parameters of the horn..." - Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
Alto saxophonist Graham has performed with several of today’s top jazz artists including Rodney Whitaker, Jim Rotondi, Sam Yahel, Nnenna Freelon, Louis Smith, Diane Schuur, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Mark Levine, Peter Bernstein, Steve Davis, Joe Magnarelli, Michael Wilner, Michael Weiss, Carl Allen, David Hazeltine, Aaron Goldberg, Wessell Anderson, and Dena Derose. He has performed at festivals and clubs in the United States, Europe and Japan and has appeared on several recordings. In addition to having arrangements performed by vocalists like Diane Schuur and John Boutte, he has also composed and arranged for small group, big band and studio orchestra. He has taught and lectured at the college level, including a “Jazz Performance Workshop” course at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he is pursuing his Doctorate in Jazz Studies. A resident of New York City for 10 years, Alex moved to Mackinac Island, Michigan after becoming the music director at Grand Hotel in 2001. Under his leadership, USA Today has praised Grand Hotel’s music as its best amenity. Graham’s previous CD on Origin Records, The Good Life, received significant national airplay and critical praise in 2006.
Gear
Selmer Mark VI alto- 88,117 New York USA Meyer 6/ medium
Tags
Alex Graham: The Good Life
by Dan McClenaghan
A quick trip to multiple reedman Alex Graham's web site finds his sound compared to Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, and Horace Silver, but a couple of spins of The Good Life tells you that these reactions must be referring to the band's collective sound. Graham plays alto sax, flute, and clarinet--the latter two reeds on the opener only--but he's an alto saxophonist first and foremost on this outing. His tone on that main horn sounds like Jackie McLean's to me--tart ...
read moreAlex Graham: The Good Life
by Jack Bowers
I can never understand why, on so many albums these days, the leading accompanist--in this case pianist Rick Roe--is pushed so far forward in the mix that one's ears are irresistibly drawn to him rather than to the soloist he is supposedly backing. Roe is an able accompanist; no argument there. But when his every note overshadows leader Alex Graham, the recording becomes his by default, thus subverting its basic purpose, which is to showcase Graham, even though he's doing ...
read morePrimary Instrument
Saxophone, alto