By Frank Alkyer | Published September 2025
There’s nothing in jazz like a good, old-fashioned cutting contest. Instead of fashion’s “Who wore it better?” we get jazz’s “Who played it better?” But with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring and tenor player Eric Alexander, this recording from Smoke Sessions Records truly is a split decision. These are two of the finest saxophonists on the jazz scene tearing it up in a fun, friendly format that still leaves plenty of room for “Don’t try this at home” antics. The duo — backed beautifully on this live set by pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist John Webber and drummer Lewis Nash — warms up with some gentle sparring on Steve Turre’s “Pharoah’s Dance,” a tribute to the late, great Pharoah Sanders. They slide into a silky groove on Horace Silver’s “Strollin’.” And then the fireworks begin. They take Hank Mobley’s “Pec a Sec” at breakneck speed. Alexander takes the first swing and it’s a rocket launch demonstrating his absolute mastery of the tenor and a helluva lot of badass bravado. But Herring proves to be up to the challenge and more. Rapid-fire, hitting the entirety of the horn, Herring is masterful. But what’s even better is the two rifling through the head in unison. They are so at ease with each other, instinctively knowing just the right moves to make, which is logical since their first “contest” was on 2005’s The Battle: Live At Smoke on HighNote, with a second 2012 release called Friendly Fire coming out on that same label. And they take the show on the road, because as fun as it is on record, live is where it’s at for this act. In fact, they were touring Japan at the time of an interview for DownBeat. As Alexander told writer Ted Panken, they’ve done a version of this tour at least seven times since the 2012 London Olympics. So, while there’s a competitive aspect to the concept, there’s also a lot of love, as evidenced in a beautiful version of the old chestnut “My Romance” and the bluesy groove of Hank Mobley’s “Soft Impressions.” To finish, they work it out on Nat Adderley’s “Mo’s Theme” and bring down the house. This is one of those “Wish you were there” live recordings that oozes with the juices of a rollicking jazz club showdown. I, for one, am so glad they documented the proceedings. Fantastic!
