Eric Reed

The field of pianists is mighty crowded these days, but for some time now, Eric Reed has been distancing himself from the pack; his aptly titled new release, Groovewise, shows off his refined, hard-swinging approach to straight-ahead fare. Here, Reed and a cast of heavyweight saxmen—Tivon Pennicott Nov 20, Grant Stewart Nov 21, Eric Alexander Nov 22 and Seamus Blake Nov 23—pay tribute to the late tenor legend Coleman Hawkins.