Blues for Bighead.

Andy McCloud's Gentlemen of Jazz: Blues for Bighead (Mapleshade 07832)

Bassist Andy McCloud leads a quartet that includes Steve Nelson on vibes (who would later go on to much greater heights as part of The Dave Holland Quintet), Joe Ford on alto and soprano saxophone, and Victor Nelson on drums. As usual with Mapleshade, things seem kind of loose, this CD actually starting with the musicians talking and then counting down into the first cut. One thing you notice right away is the sound, which is a mixture of good and bad: good in its impact and immediacy, but not so good in terms of the mix, which gives way too much prominence to the drums. Mapleshade brags of not using a mixer; in this case, I can only say that one was badly needed. Still, if you like that immediate sound of being right in the studio, you will probably enjoy the sound. The best cuts both musically and sonically are the two that do not feature the whole band. Instead, McCloud and pianist Larry Willis play a couple of duets that are quite delightful. Indeed, when they are over, and the whole group comes back in, you are almost disappointed to hear the overbearingly busy drum sound and the meanderings of the saxophone. Although this is a fairly recent release from Mapleshade, it was recorded back in 1990. This is a fun disc to listen to for jazz fans, and the two duet cuts are quite enjoyable by any standard, but it is probably not something most listeners will want to play over and over again.