''Chicago Fire'' is an album by tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. It was recorded in 2013 and released by

HighNote Records HighNote Records is a jazz record company and label founded by Joe Fields with his son, Barney Fields, in 1997. Joe Fields worked for Prestige Records in the 1960s, and in the 1970s founded Muse Records. After he sold Muse, he started the Hig ...

the following year.

Recording and music

The album was recorded at the

Van Gelder Studio The Van Gelder Studio is a recording studio at 445 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, United States. Following the use of his parents' home at 25 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, New Jersey, for the original studio, Rudy Van Gelder (1924– ...

, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on November 26, 2013.Alexander, Eric "Chicago Fire" (CD liner notes). HighNote Records. HCD 7262. Most tracks are played by the quartet of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, pianist

Harold Mabern Harold Mabern Jr. (March 20, 1936 – September 17, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer, principally in the hard bop, post-bop, and soul jazz fields.Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. p. 42 ...

, bassist

John Webber John Webber (6 October 1751 – 29 May 1793) was an English artist who accompanied Captain Cook on his third Pacific expedition. He is best known for his images of Australasia, Hawaii and Alaska. Biography Webber was born in London, educated ...

, and drummer

Joe Farnsworth Joseph Allen Farnsworth (born February 21, 1968, Holyoke, Massachusetts) is an American jazz drummer. Farnsworth was one of five sons born to trumpeter and bandleader Roger Farnsworth; one of the brothers played saxophone in Ray Charles Ra ...

. Trumpeter

Jeremy Pelt Jeremy Pelt (born November 4, 1976, in California) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career Pelt studied classical trumpet as a child and focused on jazz after playing in a high school jazz ensemble. He studied at Berklee College of Music. Among th ...

is added for three tracks.Bowers, Jack (May 2, 2014
"Eric Alexander: Chicago Fire"
All About Jazz. Alexander also produced the album. The tracks have a Chicago theme: "The Bee Hive" is named after a former club there, while "Eddie Harris", "Mr. Stitt", and "Blueski for Vonski" are for musicians associated with the city (

Eddie Harris Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-k ...

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...

, and

Von Freeman Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr. (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman as a young child was exposed to jazz. His father, George, a city policeman, was a c ...

, respectively).

Release and reception

''Chicago Fire'' was released by

in 2014. ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of growth ...

'' reported that "Alexander has released more than 30 albums in two decades, and this is one of the most vital."Tamarkin, Jeff (May 14, 2014
"Eric Alexander: Chicago Fire"
''JazzTimes''. The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

reviewer concluded that, "''Chicago Fire'' is a no-nonsense set of original and cover songs that showcases his passionate, swinging, straight-ahead jazz sound."

Track listing

#"Save Your Love for Me" #"The Bee Hive" #"Eddie Harris" #"Just One of Those Things" #"Blueski for Vonski" #"Mr. Stitt" #"You Talk That Talk" #"Don't Take Your Love from Me"

Personnel

* Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone *

– trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 7) *

– piano *

– bass *

– drums

References

{{Authority control 2013 albums Eric Alexander (jazz saxophonist) albums HighNote Records albums Albums recorded at Van Gelder Studio