Balloon Man (album)

Balloon Man
Studio album by Iain Ballamy
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
Balloon Man (1989) All Men Amen (1995)

Professional ratings

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.

Reception[]

AllMusic awarded the album with 4.5 out of 5 stars.^[3] 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]

Track listing[]

All compositions by Iain Ballamy except where noted.

1. "Mode Forbode" – 4:41
2. "Remember..." – 7:25
3. "Rahsaan" – 4:14
4. "Strawberries" – 6:58
5. "Albert" – 6:05
6. "Balloon Man" – 4:46
7. "Jumble Sale" – 2:50
8. "All I Ask of You" (Gregory Norbet) – 7:41

Personnel[]

• Iain Ballamy – soprano, alto and tenor saxophones
• Django Bates – keyboards, tenor horn on "Albert"
• Steve Watts – bass
• Martin France – drums

References[]