Seattle based drummer/composer Aaron Alexander is doubly blessed: He's a fine drummer and an arranger not afraid to try different things, even if they don't necessarily click a hundred percent. On Blues for Sparky he manipulates three horns to create a series of bright and sometimes rhythmically knotty original songs. There is variation, from the post-African bass line figure employed in "Wild West" to the Rag-tinged, chamber piece "Twinkle Eyes." But the constant is a sunny, optimistic yet disciplined musical attitude.

     The title tune, "Blues for Sparky," (which is dedicated to a deceased pooch) getw the whole band out for a communal, Blues-march blowout; it sounds like it could as easily been written in memory of a departed musician. "Anwering Machine is an ingenious ditty that features an attentive solo by trombonist Ben Williams, who comes across as the most interesting soloist. Speaking of which, the drummer/leader carves out four songs featuring just himself, and all of them succeed in painting distinct, aural pictures ranging from what sound like quiet impressions of Gene Krupa to the old Autocrat Coffee television theme soung. Although it doesn't jump out at me the way (1) did, I found Alexander's latest to be a model of different moods that swings, is never pretentious, and offeres the potential of greater things to come. Students of Jazz composition and arranging might want to check out this thinking man's drummer.

Charles Winokur, Cadence magazine, 11/2003