Although vibraphonist
Steve Nelson had been on the jazz scene for some time,
Full Nelson marked his debut as a leader. Accompanied by two fine musicians, the highly sought-after bassist
Ray Drummond and pianist
Kirk Lightsey (who, like
Nelson, is still deserving of wider recognition), he put together a thoughtful program of standards, great jazz compositions, and a pair of originals, though his playing is much softer than on typical recordings which followed. This session evolved from an extended gig in 1989 led by
Nelson with the identical sidemen at the late, lamented New York landmark Bradley's. The resulting sound of this mostly ballad set is very intimate, with
Nelson not having to use much volume on his instrument in order to be heard. The underlying pulse of "The Nearness of You" is carried by
Drummond, as
Lightsey ducks in and out in support of
Nelson. His catchy "Blues for George A" is also very subtle and deliberately underplayed. The lush treatment of the infrequently heard "The Star-Crossed Lovers" will please fans of
Duke Ellington, while the unusually extended workout of "Chelsea Bridge" is also highly rewarding. The packaging is the only defect of this excellent CD, as "The Star-Crossed Lovers" is inexplicably credited to pop singer
Neil Sedaka instead of
Duke Ellington and
Billy Strayhorn, while
Strayhorn's landmark piece "Chelsea Bridge" is listed as written by
Ellington. Such sloppy research on the part of the label is inexcusable. ~ Ken Dryden