Hard bop tenor sax player Eric Alexander, named 2003 artist of the year by JazzWeek, has garnered a large following with his warm, finely burnished tone and a robust melodic and harmonic imagination.  Eric himself has lost track of the number of recordings that feature his tenor magic as a sideman – but the number is well North of 70.  It's his role as bandleader, however, that has fans and musicians effusing about an under-40 artist who has established his own voice on the horn and become one of the brightest stars in jazz today.  His recent CD release on HighNote is called It's All in the Game.  Owen McNally of the Hartford Courant says “you immediately hear what makes Alexander the conqueror of mellow ballads and smoking up-tempo fare.  His strong sense of swing comes shining through right from the opening track....”  Eric is equally bold on standards, Monk workouts, original bop and Latin jazz.  His employers have included Mel Rhyne, Jimmy Scott, Jimmy McGriff, Charles Earland, Pat Martino, Freddy Cole . . . you get the idea. 

Since moving to New York City in 1992, David Hazeltine has made a name for himself as a "musician's musician." In addition to his working trio (with drum legend Louis Hayes and bassist Peter Washington), David is in constant demand as a sideman. Recent credits include work with Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, the Faddis-Hampton-Heath Sextet, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, the Louis Hayes Quintet, and Marlena Shaw, for whom he serves as pianist, arranger, and musical director.  Recently David was spotlighted on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" radio program. David is also a member of the band "One For All" which features Eric Alexander.

Check out this video of Eric Alexander at the AQ last year .