| Balloon Man | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Recorded | December 1988 | |||
| Studio | The Live House Studios, Launceston, Cornwall | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 38:35 | |||
| Label | EG Records | |||
| Producer | Balloon Man | |||
| Iain Ballamy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [2] |
Balloon Man is the debut album by English saxophonist Iain Ballamy, with Django Bates, Steve Watts and Martin France. It was released on the EG label in 1989.
The Times wrote "After listening to Balloon Man, it is tempting to call in the Fraud Squid to examine his birth certificate. No 25-year-old could possibly play with so much confidence and maturity... possibly the most assured session so far by any player of his generation... Where most of his contemporaries are still at the stage of reproducing their favourite saxophonists, Ballamy sounds absolutely individual, even when moving between alto, tenor and soprano horns." "The Times" [Balancing Act]. 1989. [3]
AllMusic awarded the album with 4.5 out of 5 stars. [4] The Penguin Guide review says: "Although closely associated with the Loose Tubes big band, his debut as a leader suggests that he is very much his own man. Rather than pursuing a particular style on one of the saxophones, he plays with a light-toned fluency on both alto and tenor; and instead of featuring himself, he prefers to work closely with his comrade Bates – many of the tracks here are almost like contrapuntal duets with rhythm accompaniment". [2]
All compositions by Iain Ballamy except where noted.
Loose Tubes were a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to be the focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz. It was the main launchpad for the careers of many future leading British jazz players including Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Eddie Parker, Julian and Steve Argüelles, Mark Lockheart, Steve Berry, Tim Whitehead, Ashley Slater. In 2015, the band reformed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band's formation, with concerts at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and a sold out week at Ronnie Scott's.
Human Chain is a British jazz quartet led by composer and keyboard virtuoso Django Bates. The band has been Bates’s main musical outlet since 1990 and has performed on most of his albums.
Iain Ballamy is a British composer and saxophonist. He is considered one of the greatest jazz saxophonists of all time. One of his closest musical collaborators is Django Bates.
Bill Bruford's Earthworks were a British jazz band led by drummer Bill Bruford. The band recorded several albums for Editions EG, Discipline Global Mobile and Summerfold Records.
Delightful Precipice is a 19-piece British jazz big band/orchestra led by Django Bates.
Earthworks is the first album by Bill Bruford's Earthworks, a jazz fusion band led by drummer Bill Bruford with keyboardist and trumpeter Django Bates, saxophonist Iain Ballamy, and acoustic bassist Mick Hutton. It was released in 1987 on EG Records and reissued on Summerforld in 2005. The album was co-produced by Bruford's former bandmate Dave Stewart.
Uptown/Downtown is a 1988 live album by McCoy Tyner released on the Milestone label, his first for the label since 13th House (1980). It was recorded in November 1988 and features performances by Tyner's Big Band, which included tenor saxophonists Junior Cook and Ricky Ford, trumpeter Kamau Adilifu and trombonist Steve Turre, recorded at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states that "the results are quite memorable and frequently exciting. Recommended".
Stamping Ground is a live album by Bill Bruford's Earthworks, released on EG Records in 1994. It was the final Earthworks album to feature Django Bates, Iain Ballamy and Tim Harries. Four years later, Bruford would form a new version of Earthworks in a more traditional acoustic jazz vein.
Dig? is the second album by Bill Bruford's Earthworks, featuring Django Bates, Iain Ballamy and fretless bass guitarist Tim Harries. It was released on EG Records in 1989.
All Heaven Broke Loose is the third album by Bill Bruford's Earthworks, featuring Django Bates, Iain Ballamy and Tim Harries. It was released on EG Records in 1991. It was co-produced by experimental guitarist David Torn, with whom Bruford had played extensively in the 1980s (and would go on to do again in Bruford Levin Upper Extremities in 1998-2000.
Open Letter is the third album by English big band Loose Tubes, that was released on the EG label in 1988.
Quiet Nights is an album by English multi-instrumentalist and composer, Django Bates. It was released on the Screwgun label in 1998.
All Men Amen is the second album by English saxophonist Iain Ballamy, featuring Django Bates, Steve Watts and Martin France. It was released on the B&W label in 1995.
Loose Tubes is the debut album by English jazz Loose Tubes. It was released in 1985 as an LP on Loose Tubes Limited. The recording has never been reissued on CD.
Fleur Carnivore is a live album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley recorded at the Jazzhus Montmartre in 1988 and released on the Watt/ECM label in 1989.
Vespers is an album by soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy recorded in 1993 and released on the Italian Soul Note label. The album features lyrics by Blaga Dimitrova.
Cantilena is the second album recorded by the British jazz quartet, First House. It was released by ECM. The album presents a studio performance of leader and saxophonist Ken Stubbs with Django Bates on piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Martin France on drums, recorded over 2 days in March, 1989 in Norway.
First House was a British jazz quartet that was active between 1983 and 1990. Founded and led by saxophonist and composer Ken Stubbs, the group also consisted of Django Bates on piano, Mick Hutton on acoustic bass and Martin France on drum kit and percussion.
Summer Fruits (and Unrest) is an album led by composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader Django Bates which was recorded in 1993 and released on the JMT label.
Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) is an album led by composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader Django Bates which was recorded in 1995 and released on the JMT label.
