If you don’t know that Steve Lacy is probably the best soprano sax player in the history of jazz, then you haven’t been doing y our homework. It’s understandable, however, as he leaned toward the left center of music after being a devotee of Thelonious Monk in his early years. His purity and clarity of tone is simply inspiring as well as his master of pitch and improvisation. During the last years of his life, he teamed with pianist Mal Waldron, best known for his work with Billie Holiday, but also as a dark toned hard bopper in the 50s and 60s. They toured many times as a duo, at times bringing in a rhythm section, as with this 1995 concert in Belgium including iconic members Reggie Workman/b and Andrew Cyrille for the 110 minute concert.
The concert is almost evenly divided into aspects of Lacy’s career, as Lacy and company bop with delight on Waldron’s “What It Is” and take on a pair of Monk tunes. Lacy is icy hot on “Epistrophy” and thoughtful around Waldron’s shadows on “Monk’s Dream”, getting languid on a dreaming “Longing”. Unlike the first half, which had the songs range from 8-13 minutes for the most part, the second disc is comprised of two 25 minute marathons, with Workman getting the spotlight along with Waldron on “Variation of III” and Cyrille getting a workout on a three song medley that goes from cataclysmic to an avalanche of ideas, with Lacy playing songs within songs throughout.
The 28 page booklet includes testimonies from soprano saxists giving tribute including Jane Bunnett and Dave Liebman, as well as the living band members Cyrille and Workman. Mensa Music