New Beginnings – Steve Nelson

One of Steve Nelson's simpler, more melodic compositions, this uptempo song has a 34-measure ABCD form with the C section having similar changes to the A section - but a different melody. Though the changes gravitate toward Eb major in several places, our lead sheets have no key signature. The changes begin with a descending series of II-V7s, similar to Steve's song Shape Shifting or Bud Powell's Oblivion, but with only the first II chord (Am7) having a flat 5th; all the others are basic minor 7ths. The form ends with a classic deceptive cadence, a II-V7 in E♭ going to E major to harmonize the melody note E♭; the last chord is held out for four measures instead of the expected two, and this tag is retained in the solo form. On the head, the rhythm section has hits on the "and" of beat 1 and on beat 3 in most of the A and C sections; the melody fills the space between each measure's hits. There is also a pedal point on beats 2 and 4 in the first half of the D section.

This album and its companion "Live Session 2" come from performances in Acireale, Sicily. Also in 1989, Steve recorded his first studio album as a leader, "Communications." Steve and Bobby Watson also recorded together earlier in the '80s on Bobby's album "Jewel" (1983) and Curtis Lundy's "Just Be Yourself" ('85). Watson and Donald Brown have so far never played together in a studio recording. Steve Nelson, however has played on seven of Brown's albums including the first, "Early Bird".