Niels Pedersen must be the most widely recorded and highly praised bass player over the past two or three years. Every bit of the praise is thoroughly deserved, he is quite incredible. And yet he can produce an album that is largely rather boring. A bass solo in the midst of an Oscar Peterson trio performance is one thing, an album consisting largely of bass solos, however well performed, is an altogether different matter. One of the main problems (or rather two of them) are his pianist and guitarist, neither of whom is particularly strong nor has a very individual musical personality. Sad to say, too, that Pedersen, who wrote six of the tunes, is no great shakes as a composer either. Best of a poorish bunch is Bird’s Cheryl, which at 5½ minutes is one of the longer performances, and yet seems to be over too quickly. [Mike’s last remark was right, but he doesn’t mention that on Cheryl Catherine and Hansen, far from being “not particularly strong” play impressive contemporary bop solos, especially the broiling Catherine – Ed., 2026] Strictly for bass faces only.
Discography
Summer Song; Sparkling Eyes; A Felicidade; Jaywalkin’ (23 min) – My Little Anna; Yesterday’s Future; Interlude; Cheryl; That’s All (22½ min)
Niels Pedersen (bs); Philip Catherine (gtr) Ole Kock Hansen (pno/elec-pno); Bill Higgins (dm). Copenhagen 10-11/9/75. 10/12/75.
(SteepleChase SCS 1041 £3.20)
