Acclaimed sextet One for All makes its much-anticipated return with BIG GEORGE, its first release in seven years and its 17th. The album reunites Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth, who are joined on three tracks by a very special guest saxophonist, their mentor and hero, NEA Jazz Master George Coleman.

Rock-solid work from One For All, easily one of the greatest straight jazz combos going, thanks to some tremendous tenor work from Eric Alexander, sweet piano work from David Hazeltine, and snapping rhythms from drummer Joe Farnsworth. The sextet also features Jim Rotondi on trumpet, Steve Davis on trombone, and John Webber on bass, all working here at the height of their powers, and also coming across with a bit more sharpness and soul than even other recent sessions on the Venus label. Arrangements are by all members of the group; the tunes are long and roll out beautifully with a solidly soulful feel — no surprise, given that most of them are covers of classic soul tunes from the '70s.

Known for their hard-bop style of jazz, the sextet One For All was formed in 1997 and features Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), David Hazeltine (piano), David Williams (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums). The group has been compared to 1960s-era Blue Note jazz and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and borrowed the name One For All from the Jazz Messengers' last album. Jazz Times' critic David Adler has called One For All "New York's premier hard-bop supergroup".

One for All have been an active New York City-based collective with fairly steady personnel except for the bass chair, which has rotated between several players. On this 2003 session for the Japanese Venus label, Ray Drummond joins tenorist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, pianist David Hazeltine, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, the latter members all being part of the core group back to its creation in the mid-'90s. Most of the selections on this date are associated with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, having been written for the late drummer's band or popularized by him, while the band's name was the title of Blakey's final album as a leader.

Quintet of Jazz aficionados explore standards on this SACD from Venus Records. Pianist David Hazeltine joins Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, Peter Washington, Jim Rotondi, and Joe Farnsworth for this set of standards including "Corcovado", "Skylark" and "Stolen Moments". More detailed descriptions are really unnecessary for those familiar with the gentlemen that make up One For All; these guys have each developed their individual voices and are among the most in-demand musicians of the current set. And for the uninitiated, this set comes highly recommended as a consummate example of modern mainstream know-how.

This release from Eric Alexander is a notable one. Venus Records asked the readers of Swing Journal what they would like to hear Alexander play. From that long list of requested songs, Alexander selected the tunes included on My Favorite Things. Many of the selections are well-known jazz tracks heavily associated with tenor saxophone giants of the past. Some of them include "Sugar" by Stanley Turrentine, "Airegin" by Sonny Rollins, and "My Favorite Things" and "Lazy Bird" made famous by John Coltrane.

Since finishing second to Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk Institute's tenor sax competition, Eric Alexander has built an impressive discography as a leader, while also drawing a lot of attention in both the U.S. and Japan. This Venus release, recorded in 2005 and one of the last sessions by pianist John Hicks, primarily focuses on standards, with the exception of Hicks' tense hard bop vehicle 'Avotcja.' A loping treatment of 'Sunday in New York' is a solid opener, conveying the image of a brisk walk in Central Park on a cool autumn day.

The big star on the Japanese Venus Records' roster and one of the top tenor saxophonists of his generation, Eric Alexander's latest release is a Latin jazz album. Leading his regular quartet consisting of the powerful Harold Mabern on piano, Nat Reeves on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums, Alexander blows his powerful horn on the bossa nova and Cuban rhythms.

Harold Mabern and his piano join together with George Mraz, bass, and Joe Farnsworth, drums, to compile a 10-track SACD full of jazz's favorite staples from Harold Arlen, Michael Leonard and many more. A great piano trio album full of driving swing feel, groove and dynamism.

This 2005 session features the 15-year-old native Sicilian saxophonist making his American recording debut accompanied by a crack New York rhythm section. Although it's common to hear rueful expressions about what a Charlie Parker or Clifford Brown might have accomplished had they lived longer, a player as precocious as Francesco Cafiso reminds us of the challenges facing an artist who appears to "be there" already yet has a lifetime with practically an obligation to top himself. In June 2007, when he was 17, the gifted altoist made history of sorts when he entered Birdland, the domain named after the music's most acclaimed improviser, to play the "Bird role" in a re-creation of the predecessor-father figure's most popular recording, "Charlie Parker with Strings". From the evidence on "New York Lullaby" the young player is perhaps one of the few musicians up to such a formidable, even unenviable assignment.

Drummer Joe Farnsworth sets out on a bold new path in answer to the question IN WHAT DIRECTION ARE YOU HEADED? and features a stellar all-star quintet with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, pianist Julius Rodriguez, and bassist Robert Hurst.

The 5th album in the Smalls Living Masters series finds tenor titan George Coleman in the company of pianist Spike Wilner, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth in the intimate confines of Smalls Jazz Club. In the words of George Coleman "this record is a tribute to our great city and all of our great fans." Coleman is on fire and sound better than ever!

One for All have been an active New York City-based collective with fairly steady personnel except for the bass chair, which has rotated between several players. On this 2003 session for the Japanese Venus label, Ray Drummond joins tenorist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, pianist David Hazeltine, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, the latter members all being part of the core group back to its creation in the mid-'90s. Most of the selections on this date are associated with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, having been written for the late drummer's band or popularized by him, while the band's name was the title of Blakey's final album as a leader.

Pharoah Sanders is one of the few horn players whose sound is instantly commanding and recognizable. He's often compared to John Coltrane in their similar power, spirituality, and preference for the meaty middle register of the tenor, and in fact, one of the selections here is a long, atmospheric meditation on Coltrane's "Welcome". This album is a rare treat, since Sanders has not been recording as prolifically as he did in the first four decades of his career.

It can be argued with some validity that one's overall movement through life is reflected in his creative endeavor, and Eric Alexander's strength and versatility on the saxophone can be viewed from this perspective. At this point in his career, Eric has certainly covered a lot of territory, both literally and figuratively. He himself has lost count of how many albums feature his playing; our guess is 100 or more. While he has garnered critical acclaim from every corner, what has mattered most has been to establish his own voice within the illustrious bop-based jazz tradition which is exactly what he does on his latest HighNote release. The close-knit ensemble of a band of regular buddies, coupled with the bass-clef contributions of the extraordinary Bob Cranshaw, make for a listening experience not soon forgotten.