Between Waking and Sleeping: Lacy and Waldron - Hot House

Lacy and Waldron make a great pairing and with this album I've been revisiting an old favourite of mine - drifting off to sleep accompanied by some soothing sounds. I was something I did for a long time and then it faded and stopped. That's life, I guess. But now it's back and it's hitting the spot. The 1990 duo recording, Hot House, is one of my most recent additions to the Steve Lacy collection. It's a nice mix of tunes by the likes of Herbie Nichols, Monk, Bud Powell, Duke (the usual suspects) and a few pieces from Lacy and Waldron (including each having a solo feature). It hasn't quite hit me like their other duo works Sempre Amore or, especially, Live at Dreher (maybe that will be next for the lullaby listenings), but I'm still digging it. But lets face it... I'm probably going to enjoy the vast majority of Lacy's output. Some favourites from Hot House so far include "Snake Out" and "Retreat" (Lacy solo). Anyway, it's been keeping me company most nights for the last week or two (I need to give it some time in the waking hours too). Some nights I only last a tune or two and then I'm down for the count. Who knows if it does anything (neither Steve nor Mal have appeared in any dreams that I can recall), but it's better than just lying here and staring at the ceiling (waiting for a sleepy feeling).

Music for Commuting: Voices and Communique

The car ride needed some soprano sax last week and Steve Lacy is always go-to source on that front. Communique is another chapter in the long line of Steve Lacy/Mal Waldron collaborations. I'm not sure I enjoy this one as much as Sempre Amore. I know I've listened to the latter a lot more, so maybe I just need to spend more time with this one. It dawned on me that I don't have any albums by Waldron as a leader and he's a player I want to explore further - I'm open to recommendations.

Voices is a reissue I picked up earlier this year - a trio date led by Masahiko Togashi with Lacy and Jean-Jacques Avenel. I have a couple of albums of Lacy and Togashi together and they make a nice pairing. Spiritual Moments was getting airplay earlier in the year but of late Voices has been in the rotation. For now, I'll take a break from the master while I await a few more discs that are heading my way.

Music for Commuting: Lacy, Lacy, Lacy

Keeping me company this week were discs from the Black Saint/Soul Note box set of Steve Lacy solos, duos, trios. I opted for the 3 (of 6) discs that I have listened to the least: Communique (duo with Mal Waldron), The Flame (with Bobby Few and Dennis Charles) and The Window (with Jean-Jacques Avenel and Oliver Johnson). Plenty of variety to soothe the mind. Well..... I'm not so sure that The Flame is soothing, but it is a nice reminder to seek out more from Bobby Few (I don't recall hearing him play outside of the little I have of him with Lacy). You can add to the list other Lacy Black Saint/Soul Note box set (quartets and larger groups). But in the meantime, I have another couple of sets - those by Paul Motian and Ran Blake - that I need to unpack so they can join me for a ride.

Listening From The Past Week

Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron Live at Dreher, Paris 1981: Round Midnight Vol 1. (HatOLOGY)

Lacy & Waldron make an excellent pairing and I don't think I've heard them sounding better than on this two disc set. Waldron accompanies Lacy beautifully - I prefer his accompanying over his soloing. Wonderful versions of 'Round Midnight. I'd love to get hold of Vol.2. Great sounding live recording tops it off.

 Disposability (KCD 1965) trio with Kent Carter (b) Albert Romano (d) recorded in Italy on Lacy's first trip Europe. Though he had led groups without chordal accompaniment (The Straight Horn of Steve Lacy, Evidence, School Days) this seems to be Lacy's first session fronting a trio (please correct me if I'm wrong). Lacy contributes four compositions along with three by Monk and one each by Cecil Taylor & Carla Bley.
At times the soprano takes on an almost flute-like quality in the upper register whilst keeping it's soprano-yness(!) in the lower register.

Early Years: 1954-56 (Freshsound 2004) I find it fascinating (and a treat) to hear early recordings of my favorite players - Lee Konitz with Claude Thornhill, Lenny Popkin at Lennox School, and the two "Young Bird" discs come to mind.  I can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to listening to this two disc set.
Lacy served his apprenticeship in New York City under traditional jazz players such as Jimmy McPartland, Zutty Singleton, Rex Stewart & Cecil Scott. Along with the traditional jazz influence, his playing also shows traces of Lester Young. There are hints at bop too - these are much more evident on the second disc.
It's great to hear him play some clarinet - limited to the ensemble sections on a few tracks on disc one. Lacy focused on soprano exclusively shortly after these first recordings were made.
The overall feel of the recordings is something like "trad meets cool." The arrangements (a few are by Neal Hefti) for the quintets & sextets are nice and in some cases more interesting than the soloists. Another point of interest is the presence of Tom Stewart playing Tenor Horn - I can't think of any other recordings featuring a front line of soprano sax and tenor horn.
A must for Lacy fans, this disc would also make a nice addition to a Blindfold Test.

While I'm on the subject of early recordings - Hayden Chisholm's Circe (JazzHausMusik 1996) made this weeks playlist too. This bold debut recording shows a young artist with vision - did he go out and record an album of (average) originals plus a token standard? No, he explored the world of microtonality and split scales on soprano sax (and a bit of didgeridoo). It never seems long between listens to this album - even if it's just a track or two here and there. 

Listening: a little bit of Lacy

As a soprano saxophonist, Steve Lacy is very much on my radar. This goes back years before I even owned a soprano and as much as I love his work, I feel it had little to do with me moving on to focus on the soprano (consciously at least). Lacy is a player that all saxophonist and jazz fans need to check out. He is a fairly regular part of my listening habits and at times I binge on his playing. This past week there's been a bit of Lacy bouncing around the apartment.

"Work" (Sketch 2002) Lacy with Anthony Cox (b) Daniel Humair (d) This trio seems to have only recorded together once - shortly before Lacy returned to the U.S following his decades based in France. Tunes are provided by each of the trio plus Mal Waldron, Louis Sclavis, and Thelonious Monk. There's a little bit of overdubbing from Lacy - two soprano's on 'Acrylic' and soprano and voice on 'Tina's Tune' - it's kept to a minimum. The trio sounds great together. Approval from my wife - "Who is this? I like it."



"Avignon and After Vol.1" (Emanem 2012) Comprised from a couple of solo concerts from the 1972 & 74.   Lacy is playing at the more 'out' end of the spectrum but lyricism remains part of the sound. A master of solo performance.

The disc is a combination of reissued tracks and nine previously unreleased tracks. The new tracks include the five pieces from 1974 that make up "Clangs" and four pieces from the 72 concert that was previously issued as "Weal and Woe." Unfortunately 'The Woe' (an anti-war suite) part is missing from this latest reissue. The ups and downs of reissues!

Aside from "Reflections" and "Evidence" some of the first Lacy I heard was solo - live in concert and friends of mine had "Weal & Woe" and "Hooky." 

"Sempre Amore" (Soul Note 1986) Duo's with pianist Mal Waldron. Melodic playing on a program of lesser known Ellington & Strayhorn tunes. Waldron & Lacy were great collaborators with a long history together (Waldron was part of Lacy's 2nd album as a leader 'Reflections' back in 1958).

Check out Senators website for a bunch of info on Steve Lacy.