''Big Head Eddie'' is the debut album by American jazz reedist Ken Vandermark, which was recorded in 1993 and released on Platypus.

Background

After moving to Chicago in 1989, Vandermark performed with

Hal Russell Hal Russell (born Harold Russell Luttenbacher, August 28, 1926 – September 5, 1992) was an American free jazz composer, band leader and multi-instrumentalist who performed mainly on saxophone and drums but occasionally on trumpet or vibrapho ...

, whom he replaced in punk jazz band The Flying Luttenbachers and free jazz

NRG Ensemble NRG Ensemble was an American free jazz ensemble founded in the late 1970s by saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell.Margasak, PeterThe Undiminished Power of Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble''at Chicago Reader'' The group's personnel was somewhat f ...

. The Vandermark Quartet, with guitarist Todd Colburn, bassist

Kent Kessler Kent Kessler (born January 28, 1957) is an American jazz double-bassist. Career Although born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Kessler grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He began playing trombone at age ten. When he was thirteen, he moved with his f ...

and drummer Michael Zerang, was his first major group. Kessler was the bassist on the

since 1985.Original Liner Notes by Rick Reger ''Big Head Eddie'' was Vandermark's first CD as a leader after some obscure recordings with Fourth Stream, Lombard Street and the duo with Curt Newton ''Concert for Jimmy Lyons'', only released on cassette.Ken Vandermark discography by Seth Tissue
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Reception

In his review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek states: "This is a stunning debut, and a high sign that musically everything was about to get very interesting." '' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' notes that "''Big Head Eddie'' is a nifty set of tunes, sparked by Colburn's scrawling guitar lines, lurid and alive if not quite focused yet."

Track listing

:''All compositions by Ken Vandermark except as indicated'' # "Kiss the Plow" – 4:53 # "Exploding Note Theory" – 6:44 # "Dog Cliches" – 4:35 # "Jack Kirby Was Ripped Off" – 5:31 # "Last Date" – 6:27 # "Blue Coffee" (Todd Colburn) – 3:56 # "Ingrid's Napkin #29" (Michael Zerang) – 12:06 # "Courtesy Desk" – 5:15 # "Sinner Sinner" (

) – 7:29 # "Not Actual Size" – 3:56

Personnel

* Ken Vandermark – reeds *Todd Colburn – guitar *

–

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

*Michael Zerang –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control 1993 albums Ken Vandermark albums