Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Alexander McCabe: Quiz

Alexander McCabe: Quiz

By Bruce Lindsay
October 3, 2010
View read count

Quiz, alto saxophonist Alexander McCabe's second album as leader, appears five years after his previous release, The Round (Wamco Music, 2005). McCabe has been a member of

Ray Charles

piano and vocals
1930 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Charles' Orchestra and ska band Mephiskapheles, as well as working with jazz greats like

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson and

Ray Brown

bass, acoustic
1926 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Brown. He cites tenor giants

Ben Webster

saxophone, tenor
1909 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Webster,

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane and

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins as influences, but it's altoists like

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker and

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Dolphy that impact most clearly on his sound.

The overall style of the music is straight-ahead, although the tunes occasionally show a more overtly bebop influence. This is particularly the case on "Lonnegan" and "Kalido." Both tunes were recorded a year earlier than the rest of the album and feature

Gregory Hutchinson

drums
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Hutchinson's tight and percussive drumming is a key feature of "Lonnegan," a driving blues tune centered on McCabe's hard-edged alto playing.

McCabe contributes five original compositions. "Weezie's Waltz," which actually moves between 3/4 and 5/4 time, is a bright, cheerful tune that features some light and fluid piano from

Uri Caine

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Uri Caine. "St. Pat" is the most intriguing of the five: a freer sounding tune than the rest of the album it features McCabe and Caine at their most inventive while

Rudy Royston

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Rudy Royston's drumming creates a real sense of movement and intensity.

The two covers—"Good Morning Heartache" and "How Little We Know"—are lovely, insistent, tunes. McCabe's version of "Good Morning Heartache" is an extended arrangement with a Bossa Nova feel that centers on McCabe's crisply-toned alto solo and Caine's contrastingly rich chordal playing. Bassist

Ugonna Okegwo

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Ugonna Okegwo, who also played on The Round, adds his own solo in the closing minutes—it's a fat, rounded, sound that adds another dimension to the tune.

The sound on Quiz gives the album a real sense of a live club performance, even though all the tracks are studio recordings. With the possible exception of "St. Pat" McCabe's own compositions are pleasant rather than outstanding, but his playing is stylish and sympathetic. McCabe's band mates are talented musicians as well, and the ensemble ensures that Quiz is always enjoyable.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Weezie's Waltz; Lonnegan; Kalido; Quiz; Good Morning Heartache; St. Pat; How Little We Know.

Personnel

Alexander McCabe

saxophone, alto

Alexander McCabe: alto saxophone; Uri Caine: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Rudy Royston: drums (1, 4-7); Greg Hutchinson: drums (2, 3).

Album information

Title: Quiz | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Consolidated Artists Productions

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Take Five With Tammy Scheffer
< Previous

If Time Stood Still
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.