Search - Ned Otter :: So Little Time

Tenor saxophonist Ned Otter had been playing with one of the greats of the instrument, George Coleman, for 25 years by the time he released his own debut as a leader, So Little Time. It was an apprenticeship well served and the mentor is on hand for three of the tunes (including a masterfully soaring alto solo on the Gigi Gryce standard, "Nica's Tempo"). The rest of the ensemble is balanced between a pair of acknowledged greats--Harold Mabern on piano and the late Billy Higgins on drums--and a couple of young and solid newcomers in bassist David Vitale and trumpeter Tom Kirkpatrick. Contrary to the album's title, this is a set that's relaxed, yet propulsive, and in the tradition of the classic Blue Note sessions. These are eight strong tunes suitable for rich explorations by sympathetically matched and individually resonant players. --David Greenberger