The Alex Goodman Quintet

THE ALEX GOODMAN QUINTET “BRIDGES” PRESS QUOTES

“Definitely one of the best contemporary jazz albums I’ve heard in awhile”

“Indigo” Mike Kenyon - CBC radio

?“...a credit to Goodman’s writing and to his only slightly older bandmates’ abilities that they can get such this track and the CD’s other diverse construction to flow and cohere so well...Bridges can feel at times like higher-order, straight-eighths chamber music... the substantial but streamlined, forward-moving and personal music on Bridges works. Thanks to Goodman’s erudition and passion, and to the keen understanding and playing of his bandmates, the disc definitely works.”?

Peter Hum - The Ottawa Citizen?

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/06/09/young-guns-ix-alex-goodman-cd-reviewed/

“It’s difficult to be stirred nowadays by much new jazz from young musicians...but Alex Goodman has done that with his third album...classical music’s virtues figure prominently here, underscored by the degree of group intimacy, cohesion and elegant execution...The plethora of enterprising, shape-changing structures has real appeal, as does the evident attention to detail...the complexities are next excessive, the cerebral soloing is superb and Tristano Bach has to be the coolest bebop ever.”?

Geoff Chapman - The Whole Note?

http://thewholenote.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13597:its-our-jazz-november-2011&catid=51:jazzaimprovised&Itemid=178

“This is a CD you MUST add to your jazz collection. Goodman is one of Canada's finest jazz guitarists and if you ever needed more evidence of that, then give a listen to Bridges. This recording is complex, layered and elegant deftly combining jazz and classical forms, and showcasing tight interplay between all the members of this quintet...make no mistake, these are top jazz musicians. As contemporary jazz, Bridges is spot on, with just the right flavouring of classical music.”

Dennis Slater - Fast Forward Weekly (FFWD Calgary)

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/music/cd-reviews/

[English translation] “Delicately composed and orchestrated, interpreted with enthusiasm and grace, the music of the young prodigious Torontonian guitarist Alex Goodman effectively builds a bridge between jazz and classical in a similar manner to chamber music. This is explained amongst other things by the remarkable cohesion between the leader and his band mates...and by the mastery of the two idioms that these young lions have proved themselves with. The arrangements are of real interest while the inventive improvisations place Alex Goodman in the line of a Kurt Rosenwinkel.”

“Délicatement composée et orchestrée, interprétée avec fougue et grâce, la musique du guitariste prodige torontois jette effectivement un pont entre jazz et classique dans un climat proche de la musique de chambre. Cela s’explique entre autres par la remarquable cohésion entre le leader et ses complices... et par la maîtrise des deux idiomes dont ces jeunes loups érudits font systématiquement preuve. Cela dit, aussi soignés soient les arrangements, le véritable intérêt ici tient néanmoins à l’inventivité des improvisations qui placent Alex Goodman dans la lignée d’un Kurt Rosenwinkel.”?

Stanley Péan - Voir

?http://www.voir.ca/infocenter/disc.aspx?zone=1&section=6&disc=11621

[English translation] His remarkable guitar and compositional talents have won him a place among the elite emerging artists of Canadian jazz... We may have a genius on our hands...

Ses talents remarquables pour la guitare et la composition lui confèrent une place parmi l'élite des artistes jazz émergents canadiens... Un petit génie?

La Presse
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/agenda/09-10182-the-alex-goodman-quintet.php

“With Bridges, Alex Goodman and crew have firmly planted their feet into the realm of top-notch modern jazz. Goodman has developed a unique compositional style...combined with his and his band's excellent musicianship has created one heck of a record.”

Matt Fong - Spontaneous Combustion Magazine
http://www.scmagazine.org/downloads/SC12AUGUST2011-web.pdf

Alex and the Alex Goodman Quintet featured in Peter Hum’s Ottawa Citizen article “Who makes the cut for ‘cutting-edge jazz’ in Canada?”?

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/11/18/who-makes-the-cut-for-cutting-edge-jazz-in-canada/

“Bridges” makes The Ottawa Citizen’s list of top ten Canadian jazz CDs in 2011
?http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/12/20/my-year-end-jazz-lists/

Bridges reached #1 on the Chartattack and !Earshot national jazz charts

http://www.chartattack.com/charts/jazzblues/2011-07-26
http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/index.cfm?intChartTypeID=105&dWeekOfID=2011-06-14

Quotes about Alex Goodman

“Without question, one of the most gifted guitarists of his generation.”

Tim Ries - Rolling Stones Saxophonist

"I'm gonna bet on you to be the next great jazz musician from Canada. It won't be long before you become a household name!"

Joj - various

It’s difficult to be stirred nowadays by much new jazz from young musicians, especially if led by a guitarist, but Alex Goodman has done that with his third album as leader. The Alex Goodman Quintet - Bridges (www.alexgoodman.ca) benefits considerably from his compositional ability – he contributes eight attractive cuts, three intros and arranged tunes by Chopin and Bartók. It’s no surprise that classical music’s virtues figure prominently here, underscored by the degree of group intimacy, cohesion and elegant execution – take a bow Nick Morgan (woodwinds), Darcy Myronuk (piano), Dan Fortin (bass) and Maxwell Roach (drums). Their subtle chemistry points to a collective understanding mindful of the iconic Modern Jazz Quartet. The plethora of enterprising, shape-changing structures has real appeal, as does the evident attention to detail – the only bust is a Chopin nocturne that inhibits invention (the Bartók dance fares better.) The complexities are never excessive, the cerebral soloing is superb and Tristano Bach has to be the coolest bebop ever. - Whole Note Magazine