As difficult times often beget new beginnings, the COVID-19 quagmire gave birth to alto saxophonist Eric Alexander.

To some, a tenor-to-alto switch may not seem to be a newsworthy matter, but for the initiated it's the stuff of headlines. An inveterate tenor at the apex of the scene for more than three decades, Eric put the alto away in his teen years and never looked back. "But with the dearth of opportunities to play during the pandemic, I started to work on it," he confesses.

After successfully pitching the idea of using his second saxophone-with-strings project as a debut on alto, the present recording is quite simply astounding. Working with his regular rhythm section and adding ace string arrangements, this altoist delivers one revelatory performance after another.

Eric Alexander: alto saxophone

David Hazeltine: piano

John Webber: bass

Joe Farnsworth: drums

String arrangements and conducting by Bill Dobbins (tracks 2 - 8 only)