The Good Life

Album Review

This quartet session, led by sax player Alex Graham, takes a crack at showing off all that can be right with a quartet in the post-bop era. The tone is generally light, with a fair amount of call and response between Graham's sax and the rhythm section. Generally the demeanor is bouncing, almost like an updated "Sunny Side of the Street." The band deals well with originals as well as nice pieces from Wayne Shorter and even a small-band arrangement of a Tadd Dameron piece. Incidentally this piece, "On a Misty Night," provides a nice overview of the album. Graham's sax croons over a layer of relaxed rhythm and accentuating hits from Rick Roe's piano. The solos from the rest of the band fit well into the structure but leave the limelight for the sax. Graham's original pieces evoke Coltrane's "Naima" to a degree, but more so the general feel of some of Trane's later work (though not quite into the Love Supreme mode). An entirely proficient band playing some nice pieces, this is basic background music for a quiet evening, and some nice background music at that.