Tackling
brave new territory in the conservative-leaning realm of classical
music tradition takes a unique blend of conviction, refined talent and
a bit of damn-the-torpedoes ambition. Those qualities are amply
in evidence with the New Century Saxophone Quartet, not to mention a
finely honed musicality deserving wider acceptance. … Polish and
vitality distinguish the group. … Inherently, the New Century Saxophone
Quartet is a crusading unit, spreading the gospel about this maligned
instrument’s serious aspirations. They made believers here.
—LOS ANGELES TIMES
What distinguished this performance was that all of this was so well
done with so little apparent effort or premeditation.
—THE WASHINGTON POST
The aural equivalent of spiked eggnog, this album mixes festivity and
funk; Lenny Pickett’s hilarious klezmer-style “God Rest Ye Merry Gentle
Mensch” is alone worth the price of admission.
—CHICAGO TRIBUNE
A virtuosic display of dexterity and keen ensemble work. … The quartet
demonstrated both the liquid sinuosity and the pointillistic snap of
the saxophone. … The players handled it all with panache.
—THE NEW YORK POST
The Mozart was played with the precision and grace of the Juilliard
String Quartet.
—PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
The New Century Saxophone Quartet has avoided gimmicks in this
remarkable reinvention of carols that is the freshest Christmas CD I’ve
heard in years. … The result are Christmas carols that come
alive, rescued from the bin of repetition and jaded familiarity.
… Throughout, the quartet performs sensitively, always keeping
the carols — and their spirit — at the forefront.
—PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
“Precise, synchronized playing was matched by a balanced blend. …
A total winner.”
—KALAMAZOO GAZETTE
“The New Century Saxophone Quartet is a superbly talented ensemble.”
—THE BUFFALO NEWS
Played with the kind of dexterity and precision that made you want to
either sell your saxophone or hit the practice room for the next 10
years.
—THE NEWS OBSERVER (RALEIGH, N.C.)
Doing for saxophones what Casals did for the cello and Segovia, for the
guitar.
—SPECTATOR (RALEIGH, N.C.)
A festival of virtuoso fireworks. It may have been cold and nasty
outside, but inside the North Carolina Museum of Art’s auditorium,
things were cookin’.
—SPECTATOR (RALEIGH, N.C.)
An unusual take on familiar Christmas songs. … This release will
particularly appeal to saxophone fans as well as anyone looking for
holiday music with a little different bent.
—DENVER POST
A smoothness of sound, blend of ensemble and range of nuance that often
astonishes. … No mere technicians but artists who entered into the
spirit of the music with wit and fantasy.
—GREENWICH TIME (CONN.)
The New Century Saxophone Quartet is a breath of fresh air. … Indeed
the disc A NEW CENTURY CHRISTMAS is unique among this [year’s] crop
... It presents amusing and ingenious arrangements of Christmas
tunes by a diversity of living composers, and the results are fun and
original. By refusing to be gulled by the Christmas hype, the
quartet has created something fresh and irreverent — and it will
probably still sound good long after the turkey has become soup.
—BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
A revelation. … This is no ordinary recording but a devotedly
virtuoso traversal of some of the most mind-bogglingly ingenious and
inspired counterpoint ever committed to manuscript.
—INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW
They combine great technique and elegant musicianship with a wonderful
sense of chamber music.
—FANFARE
Played with such a catching and playful gaiety, the entire audience was
won over easily by the quartet. The dynamic qualities of the
quartet shone through in its unforced subtlety.
—LEIDSCH DAGBLAD (THE NETHERLANDS)