Flushing Town Hall will welcome another jazz icon to the world’s borough this November. The Eric Alexander Quartet will perform at the cultural institution, located at 137-35 Northern Blvd., on Friday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m.
Eric Alexander is featured on over 100 recorded albums and is recognized as one of the best bebop saxophonists in the tri-state area and beyond. Alexander will be joined on stage by David Williams (bass), Neal Smith (drums) and Rick Germanson (piano).
Alexander has a decades-long connection to music. He began playing the piano at the age of six and took up clarinet at nine. By the time he was 12, he switched to alto saxophone and began studying classical music. At 18, Alexander fell in love with jazz music and gravitated towards the tenor saxophone. He studied at William Paterson College in New Jersey under Harold Mabern, Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, and others.
In 1991, Alexander placed second behind jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, sparking his decision to become a professional jazz musician. In 1992, Alexander released his debut album, “Straight Up for Delmark.” More recordings followed, including “Man with a Horn” (1997) and a 1998 quartet with George Mraz, John Hicks and Idris Muhammad, “Solid!“.
Alexander has notably released over 40 albums as a quartet or sextet leader, with more than 100 albums featuring his playing. He has collaborated with Harold Mabern, George Coleman, Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Cecil Payne, Cedar Walton, Junior Mance, Melvin Rhyne, Charles Earland, Idris Muhammad, Pat Martino, Rein de Graaff, Mike LeDonne, Grant Stewart, Jim Rotundi and many other musicians.
By 2004, he landed a contract with the New York-based independent jazz label HighNote Records, leading to a wide-ranging discography of critically acclaimed recordings, including “Chicago Fire” (2014), “The Real Thing” (2015) with Pat Martino, “Second Impression” (2016), and his recent albums “A New Beginning” (2023) and “Timing Is Everything” (2024).
Clyde Bullard, Flushing Town Hall’s jazz producer in residence, shared that the institution is committed to continuing jazz’s legacy and sharing its rich local history with Queens residents.
“We at Flushing Town Hall want to continue the legacy of great jazz with outstanding established as well as emerging jazz artists on our stage. We are delighted to welcome the extremely talented Eric Alexander, who has been in the New York jazz scene for over three decades. You don’t want to miss his concert,” Bullard said.
In-person tickets are $30, $25 for members, seniors and students w/ ID; table packages for two are $100 and $85 for members.
