Steve Lacy QuintetStudio 104
Maison De Radio France
Paris, France
October 17, 1976
Steve Lacy - ss
Derek Bailey - g
Irene Aebi - cello,v,voc
Kent Carter - b,cello,harp
Noel McGhie - dr
This quintet seems to be Lacy's usual pals, with the addition of Bailey. Good news for many, but not for me, I can't say I'm a fan of his. I know this is sacreligious in these parts, and not wising to speak ill of the departed, but I never could see where he was coming from. Somewhat spoils this concert for me. However, I'm sure that many of you will have different opinions than me and enjoy it.
As it's an FM recording, sound quality is excellent. Thanks to "qchrisnick" for seeding. Links in comments. Please let me know if you actually like this. Personally I'd rather listen to Lacy in Monk rendition style.
1. The Crust (Lacy) 2. Micro Worlds (Lacy) 3. The Throes (Lacy) 4. Flakes (Lacy)
Link (VBR quality 0)
ReplyDeletemassmirror.com/b5caef12320c821484e7cf2dc344a50a.html
Hi Boromir! Thanks for putting up what you don't personally like - not being ironic, I do actually believe that is even more generous than posting in "proselytising enthusiasm" fashion.
ReplyDeleteI won't be picking this one up, though. The 70s were my least favourite decade in Lacy's oeuvre. A bit TOO ascetic, rigorously abstract, squeaky and bumpy. And most of all, I generally steer clear of Irene Aebi's voice and strings. (Again no offence intended, but it sets my teeth on edge ...)
I might seem to be agreeing with you. But I do like Steve Lacy - in any other decade. He was an artist in all things, a musical genius, a strangely pure tone (in view of the instrument) with varied attack, and a great sense of inventive and risk-taking culture in all he did.
To cut a longer story shortish ... you've mentioned Lacy's Monk (so you do get some of it!). His Paris concert of 1969 is still the best of all that to me. But School Days (63, with Ros Rudd) is mighty too. But, if you want to "get where he was coming from" (and a good bit of where he was trying to go, and going), in his later period, please try "The Window" (Soul Note). Just bass and drums, two great musicians supporting him and playing in their own right, it is a masterpiece of semi-abstract music, with all the varied feeling, coloration of moods and modulation and all the earth as well as the skies, the fiery spark and the life-affirming water of human creativity.
I second Peter's thanks. I came to Lacy after Bailey, so I couldn't be more thrilled with this. I've got it on now, and although the mix doesn't show much love for the rhythm section (w/ the exception of Carter, who's pretty prominent), this is really fascinating improv throughout. I like the more fractured Lacy; although it's not a 70s album (mid-80s I believe), I was just listening to his duets with Bailey, titled *Outcome*. That record gets some flak for sounding like they're not even listening to each other, but I really enjoy it. It's certainly not complementary listening -- maybe it's antagonistic in a curmudgeonly way. Well, in any case, I haven't heard any Bailey I haven't liked yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd Aebi's vocals don't bother me, but then again I really like Jeanne Lee.
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ReplyDeletebig ups for posting this boromoir..
ReplyDeletethank you very much!
its a pleasant surprise and much appreciated by me, i love lacy and the 70's is his greatest period, though the records peter singles out are great.
I would also single out one of my favourites is the double hat lp capers, rereleased as a single disc under the name n.y , capers and quirks ,the reissue left off some of the best tracks including the amazing the crunch.
none the less and despite less than pristine sound ,one of the great records in this area of the music of its day it features ronny boykins and the awesome dennis charles.. all three now departed.
for me lacy has laid out one of the most challengingly complex and kaleidoscopic bodies of work by any american jazzman.
not only a sonic innovator , but a synthesist who sought to meld his interests in visual art, poetry and language with the diverse array of musical interests.
many people dont like aebi's singing ,but ive grown to love it over time(especially at its most fulsome).
there is precious little lacy with derek bailey who was a regular from 73 to 76 (on and off) so its wonderful to have this.
for me monk is ever present even in the most wayward lacy, rythmically and melodicaly.
great art is about much more than merely recreating set pieces or giving credence repeatedly to the same time worn formulae.
lacy playing monk in the 80's and 90's was of course beautiful, but at his peak in the 70's he took it else where, recreated it made it more than an act of repertory recreation.
, .
was dissapointed that lacy didnt pursue his all encompassing synthesis of free improv, contemporary compositional procedure and swing, further after the 70's in fact he all but abandoned it.
after the mid 50's lacy has little to do with the blues, or funk as typified by hard bop and he makes us work as listners, his art doesnt have that immediate expressive impact that most african american jazz has (unless he explicetly wanted it to, for example playing ellington or bechet) .
whats most interesting about lacy for me , is that he is much more like a mid 20th c visual artist ,or writer making a concious and explicit identification at an intellectual level with modernist concerns about the constant need for formal reinvention, in this respect he is almost unique as a jazzman who started in the 50’s.
in this respect lacy has more in common with Anthony Braxton and roscoe Mitchell as well as European free improvisers than he does with beboppers or free jazzers like shepp, ayler and coleman.
Wow, sotise ! That's degree level musical ctiticism. As I understand it, I think you like Lacy - so do I, but I like the tunes you can whistle and remember. Anyhow, glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks also to Peter and 1009 for their thoughts on this.It seems you either love or loathe Bailey. My old granny used to say "It wouldn't do for us all to be the same".
I believe when it comes to such a high level of creativity in music , time and place of ones first hearing an artist plays a part in the understanding of it.
ReplyDeleteMy first experience of hearing Steve was a live one, right around the time of this recording.
Though I didn't understand what was going on the feel and sense of that evening still lingers in the background. It has been a progression , a learned journey. Steve Lacy is pure joy.
I believe when it comes to such a high level of creativity in music , time and place of ones first hearing an artist plays a part in the understanding of it.
ReplyDeleteMy first experience of hearing Steve was a live one, right around the time of this recording.
Though I didn't understand what was going on the feel and sense of that evening still lingers in the background. It has been a progression , a learned journey. Steve Lacy is pure joy.
I believe when it comes to such a high level of creativity in music , time and place of ones first hearing an artist plays a part in the understanding of it.
ReplyDeleteMy first experience of hearing Steve was a live one, right around the time of this recording.
Though I didn't understand what was going on the feel and sense of that evening still lingers in the background. It has been a progression , a learned journey. Steve Lacy is pure joy.
Help.
ReplyDeletegetting this link is proving difficult for me.
Copy and paste is not happening.
any suggestion? don
sorry about the duplication.
Despite being a huge Lacy fan for 40-odd years, I agree that the inclusion of his wife's vocals in his music was the worst musical misjudgement he ever made. What some men do for their women! So I remedy the situation by re-listening to some of his masterpieces, such as the two albums of Solo Monk.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's possible that Lacy might have had actual respect for his wife's voice...
ReplyDeleteOn another note, there was mention some time back (in the *Wire* post) that Lacy's *Stalks* would show up here at some point. Is that one still in the pipeline? I've been listening to a bunch of Motoharu Yoshizawa recently.
I never realised that the lady was Steve's wife, perhaps explains why she appears on so many of his recordings. Has she made recordings without Steve ?
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm aware of, Boromir. But then I'm not aware of everything! They were a pretty solid couple for decades, I think starting around the late 60's.
ReplyDeleteFor me sounds de puta madre.
ReplyDeleteEvery week several gems. Contributors you are
amazing. Thanks for give us all this lost music.
I think most of you know Zebulon Cafe. For those they don't here is a link to download several concerts. John Tchicai, Adam Lane, Butch Morris, Paul Smoke and more. Belive me, there are really good concerts, Adam Lane Quartet…
http://www.zebuloncafeconcert.com/archives/blog/archives.html
Enjoy
Thanks again for this great blog
thanks in advance for this boromir, it could be ages before i get round to listening to it properly but i'll certainly grab it while it's available. you're not the only one who doesn't like bailey, i know someone who really doesn't dig him at all (funnily enough the same guy doesn't like lacy much either) - but i love both (and of course braxton did too) so: again, thanks!
ReplyDeleteps i'll grit my teeth through the wifely vocals ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnother generous, stunning day at Inconstant Sol. I can't thank you enough.
ReplyDeleteCan you please upload this record again? I'm dying to hear it...
ReplyDeleteThis blog is so wonderful, thank you !!!
Any chance to get a new functional link ? I'm really looking forward to listening to this... Thousand tanks in advance
ReplyDeleteCheers
New link:
ReplyDeletehttps://1fichier.com/?dq2g34chbo