Cadence Magazine Alexander McCabe Body and Soul Review Wamco Music January 2023 by Frank Kohl

ELENA/ IF I SEE HER/CHRISTI'S DAY/ BODY AND SOUL/ ANGELA/COUNTDOWN

McCabe, as, sop; Paul Odeh, p;
Ugonna Okegwo, b; Craig Wuepper, d.
Recorded 8/2021 Yorktown Heights, NY.

NY saxophonist Alexander McCabe presents his latest CD "Body And Soul" with a superb quartet. The recording features four original compositions and the standards "Body And Soul" and Coltrane's "Countdown."

We get started with Alex's original "Elena" a sweet and appealing 6/8 romp with Alex on Soprano. The sound quality is outstanding and the melody is lyrical with a joyous undercurrent. Alex solos first with grace and ease, rising above the changes with streams of unconscious clarity. Pianist Paul Odeh delivers a strong and inventive solo with lots of rhythmic energy that's picked up and enhanced by the group. Bassist Ugonna Okegwo follows with a fine solo that's elevated to excellence with drummer Craig Wuepper's support. "If I See Her" is a ballad with hints of swing and a lush melody that's spaced out just right and strengthened by the group's rhythmic prowess. Again this tune brings superb solos all around. "Christi's Day" kicks up the tempo and swings hard! Alex's facility becomes even more evident with a fierce solo that puts him right inside the group's driving swing feel. "Body And Soul" lays down a relaxed two feel for a backdrop with lots of space and rhythmic divergence allowing Alex to surf freely above it all. More excellent writing with "Angela" as a sweet ostinato fiqure invites us to partake in what's to come. A delicious melody ensues only to be rounded out by Alex's horn soaring over the tunes sweet and lovely form. Coltranes "Countdown" finishes the set. I personally find "Countdown" more challenging then Coltranes "Giant Steps" and the tempo Alex chooses is simply breathtaking, I'd put it at about 320 beats per minute. Here we clearly witness what Alex is capable of as he flys through these daunting changes as if there are no changes at all.

So let me say that everyone on "Body And Soul" gives an incredible performance and the writing throughout is first rate. One thing for certain is next time i'm in NY I'll be looking to see where Alexander McCabe is playing.

Frank Kohl

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