Steve Lacy Monk

Avid Jazz continues with its Four Classic album series with a re-mastered 2CD release by Steve Lacy, complete with original artwork and liner notes.
“Soprano Sax”; “Reflections - Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk” “The Straight Horn Of Steve Lacy”; and “Evidence”.
Born in New York City, Steven Norman Lackritz (better known to jazz fans as Steve Lacy ) was one of a rare breed of jazz men to play the soprano sax, almost exclusively. Other famously few players include Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hodges and occasionally John Coltrane. For a musician starting life in a Dixieland jazz band playing alongside such greats as Henry “Red” Allen and Pee Wee Russell, Steve Lacys jazz journey may look an unexpected one…

One of the great soprano saxophonists of all time (ranking up there with Sidney Bechet and John Coltrane), Steve Lacy's career was fascinating to watch develop. He originally doubled on clarinet and soprano (dropping the former by the mid-'50s), inspired by Bechet, and played Dixieland in New York with Rex Stewart, Cecil Scott, Red Allen, and other older musicians during 1952-1955. He debuted on record in a modernized Dixieland format with Dick Sutton in 1954. However, Lacy soon jumped over several styles to play free jazz with Cecil Taylor during 1955-1957. They recorded together and performed at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. Lacy recorded with Gil Evans in 1957 (they would work together on an irregular basis into the 1980s), was with Thelonious Monk's quintet in 1960 for four months, and then formed a quartet with Roswell Rudd (1961-1964) that exclusively played Monk's music; only one live set (for Emanen in 1963) resulted from that very interesting group. 6 original albums from the soprano sax maestro including works with Don Cherry & Gil Evans; Soprano Sax, Plays Theloniuous Monk, Straight Horn Of.., Evidence, Gil Evans & Ten, Great Jazz Standards.

This reissue of a 1969 French date makes its very first appearance on CD and its debut as a U.S. release some 25 years after its original issue on the BYG label as Epistrophy. Plays Monk is also the first record Lacy made after taking up residence in Paris. His band for the outing features the legendary Italian drummer Aldo Romano, the pianist Michel Graillier, and bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark. There are five unusually complex Monk tunes here - "Thelonious," "Ruby My Dear," "Light Blue," "Mysterioso," and "Friday the Thirteenth" - and two versions of "Epistrophy." This is easily Lacy's "straightest" album from the period, and he stays melodically and harmonically close to Monk's original compositions in the heads before taking off somewhere else in the solos…

Recorded just three months before arranger/pianist Gil Evans's death, this duet album teams Evans with the great soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy. In truth, Evans's playing here is generally little more than melody statements and comping behind Lacy. The duo performs lengthy versions of three Charles Mingus tunes, Duke Ellington's "Paris Blues" and Lacy's "Esteem."

Steve Lacy walked into the ESP-Disk offices in New York in 1966 and offered to sell Bernard Stollman a tape of a concert he had recorded with his quartet during a concert in Argentina (where they had been stranded). That band was truly an international one: Lacy and Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava made up the front line, and the rhythm section included South African expats Johnny Dyani on bass and drummer Louis Moholo - who had both been members of the Blue Notes and the Brotherhood of Breath with Chris McGregor. The musical interaction that takes place over 40 minutes here is compelling, fraught with openness and the willingness to explore the margins. Unlike a lot of the other "new thing" recordings made at the time, the focus here is unusually rich, expressive, colorful, and easy on the ears - though it may not have been at the time…

Steve Lacy - Reflections - Plays Thelonious Monk (1958) {Prestige–New Jazz Japan VICJ-2186 rel 1996}
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© 1958, 1996 Prestige-New Jazz / Victor Japan | VICJ-2186 | 20bitK2
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

All of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy's early recordings are quite fascinating, for during 1957-1964, aspects of his style at times hinted at Dixieland, swing, Monk, and Cecil Taylor, sometimes at the same time. For this CD reissue (a straight reproduction of the original New Jazz LP), Lacy teams up with pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Buell Neidlinger, and drummer Elvin Jones for seven Thelonious Monk compositions. The typical standbys (such as "'Round Midnight," "Straight No Chaser," and "Blue Monk") are avoided in favor of more complex works such as "Four in One," "Bye-Ya," and "Skippy"; the sweet ballad "Ask Me Now" is a highpoint. Lacy always had an affinity for Monk's music and, even nearly 40 years later, this set is a delight.

Steve Lacy - School Days (1960-1963) {Emanem 5016 rel 2011}
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© 1960-63, 2011 Martin Davidson (Emanem) | 5016
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

Seminal work from Steve Lacy – a set that was recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 70s – when it quickly became one of THE key records for understanding Lacy's sound and style! The set's based on the work of Thelonious Monk – and like Lacy's early Prestige album, Reflections, it features these wonderful angular extrapolations on Monk's modern ideals – really taken to the next level, and in a way that's even more far-reaching than Lacy's previous recordings of Monk. The group here is a key part of the album's strength – with Lacy on soprano sax, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Henry Grimes on bass, and Dennis Charles on drums – and titles include "Bye Ya", "Monk's Mood", "Brilliant Corners", and "Skippy".

Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron - Communique (1994) {Soul Note–Jazzit JCD06 rel 2004}
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© 1994, 2004 Soul Note / Jazzit | JCD06
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Soprano Saxophone / Piano

Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron had played together over several decades by the time this CD was recorded, one of many duo dates they've done. "Who Knows" is not one of Thelonious Monk's better-known works, but their aggressive and very playful approach to it should invite other musicians to explore it as well. On the other hand, "Blue Monk" is more reserved, with Lacy testing the limits of his instrument and Waldron's bluesy solo.