Eric Alexander - Like Sugar

Along with co-producer John Bennett, Cory Weeds encouraged me to make a recording that paid tribute to the great Stanley Turrentine. Our goal wasn’t to recreate his music in an anachronistic way, but rather to stay faithful to his aesthetic and musical sensibilities. With that in mind, we carefully selected repertoire that reflected his bluesy approach and love for the Great American Songbook.

Stanley had a deep love for the blues and a beautifully lyrical way of interpreting standard tunes. We recorded “Love Letters,” one of his favorite standards, as a direct nod to him. Beyond that, our tributes were often more indirect. For instance, we borrowed the shout chorus from Stanley’s iconic tune “Sugar” and used it as a melodic idea on my composition “Jave.” I also wrote an original piece titled “Like Sugar,” based on the chord changes to “Sugar,” but with a new melody and harmonic rhythm. “Sugar” remains one of Stanley’s most beloved compositions, and “Like Sugar” was written in that spirit.

Stanley also had a strong affinity for Brazilian music, so we included “Triste” and added our own unique spin to it. We felt that tunes like “The Way We Were” and Hank Mobley’s “Early Morning Stroll” were also right in Stanley’s wheelhouse—he would’ve loved playing them.
I was thrilled to have these three extraordinary musicians in the rhythm section for this recording. They are among the finest players on their respective instruments today—and dear friends of mine as well. Organizing the music and shaping it in the studio was a joy because we trust each other’s instincts and ideas, and there’s a strong mutual respect in our musical conversations. 

Eric Alexander - tenor and soprano saxophone
David Hazeltine - piano
Dennis Carroll - bass
George Fludas - drums