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A Little Space is essentially two guys, Alan Gruskoff, aka "Big Al," who with a few exceptions writes and performs literally everything on A LITTLE SPACE; and Terrell Moran, who provides vocals on nine of the fourteen tracks on this release. And therein lies the split personality of this disc.

Moran is a graduate of the Al Jarreau School of jazz vocalists, though his chops are not quite there yet, in terms of range or consistency. The songs aren't bad, just not fully realized. Big Al has some good ideas here and there; it's just that Tracks One through Nine of A LITTLE SPACE needs a little work. If you're going to ride the smooth tip of r & b you can't be putting out a rough mmix, and that is just what this sounds like, scratch vocals over a demo mix. Tracks Ten through Fourteen? Well, they're instrumental, and the production is much, much better. A couple of tracks feature Dean Roubicek on sax ("Yes I Would," "Curve in the Road"), lending a passable smooth jazz groove to things. Big Al, for the most part, however, consistently demonstrates that his reach exceeds his grasp, at least at this point in time.

Part of the problem here appears to be that Big Al attempts to do just a bit too much by himself. He has some really, really interesting ideas that don't quite measure up in their execution, at least on A LITTLE SPACE. "Curve in the Road," in particular, seems to have some potential, with Roubicek's sax lines blowing around the room like a fly searching for a way out. "Heart In My Hand," a chamber music tribute to the victims of the 9/11 attack, is also quite interesting, building on a somber refrain. Again, however, tossing a few more musicians into the mix would have made a good idea memorable in its execution.

While Big Al might not be capable of carrying a load all by himself, he certainly has enough ideas, and enough talent, to mix it up with some other big boys and let them bounce some on his musical ideas around. While A LITTLE SPACE may not be quite enough, his next effort may. Let's keep an eye, and an ear, on him.