NICK MASON

Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports

[Columbia FC 37307]

You may have heard of Nick Mason, although I doubt it. More than likely you have just heard Nick Mason and haven’t cared who that drummer was. For the unaware, Nick Mason is a producer who has worked with several avant-garde artists including Robert Wyatt and Gong. In his spare time he is a trustee and drummer of a corporation called Pink Floyd.

Ahhhhhh! Now you remember!

Now forget it.

In fact, forget that this is a Nick Mason album. Oh sure, he’s on it, but did he write any of the songs? Did he play anything other than drums? Does he sing? Dance? Fart? Anything?

No, of course not. Carla Bley does all those things, so I say let’s call a spade a spade. Introducing: Carla Bley’s Fictitious Nick Masons. Bley wrote, played keyboards on, and co-produced (along with Mr. Fictitious) all eight tunes. She is very much all over the place.

Am I complaining? I almost forgot to mention that this is a fine disc, funny and pretty, exotic and rambunctious; all in all, as accessible as anything she’s done in a long time. Although the help they employ ranges from the mundane to the esoteric, Bleyson mesh rather well indeed.

“Boo to You Too” and “I Was Wrong” are such standouts as to render the rest of the album pale. Strong vocals by the inimitable Robert Wyatt and a horn section led by Mike Mantler and Howard Johnson propel these tunes eight miles higher than the others.

For a fictitious man whose feet are planted so squarely in the MOR/AOR mainstream, he has succeeded in presenting an album of weirdness and brilliance. It is hoped that lending his name to this effort will get the album the recognition it deserves.

If anybody can recognize his name.

-J. E. Sumrell