Top Ten Steve Lacy records

Rob C · June-14th-2004, 01:05 PM

I've been pretty obsessively listening to Lacy's music for the past week and half, and there are no more threads to re-read about him on JC. Also, he's a guy with so many records that comparing top tens could be interesting, and I want some ideas of what to check out next, so.... My top ten, so far, would be:

Morning Joy
Cliches
NY Capers and Quirks
School Days
The Window
Momentum
Blinks
Monk's Dream
Dutch Masters (Mengelberg is listed first, but this seems like a collective effort, and has some wonderful Lacy comps and playing)
The Beat Suite (...with a bullet. I just got this one and am really enjoying it. And it's turning me around on Aebi's voice, from tolerating it to liking it.)

There's so much I still haven't heard, but every disc listed above is special, to use a Braxtonesque term. What next?

stonemonkts · June-14th-2004, 05:32 PM

My favorite Lacy recordings are the ones he did with Mal Waldron. Of those, my favorites are:

Sempre Amore
Live at Dreher Paris
Communique

Others worth mentioning:

Interpretations of Monk Vol. 2
Morning Joy
Vespers
Work
More Monk
Chirps

Frisco · June-14th-2004, 06:01 PM

Tough to pick out ten, but I'll settle on these:

The Straight Horn (Candid)
School Days (Emanem/Hat Hut)
Journey Without End (Viktor - Lacy/Waldron 4tet)
The Gap (America)
Mal Waldron w/Steve Lacy Quintet (America)
Weal & Woe (Emanem)
Follies (SAJ)
Trickles (Black Saint)
Catch (Horo - duo w/Kent Carter)
Morning Joy (Hat Hut)

next five:
Momentum (Novus)
Cliches / Prospectus (Hat Hut)
Reflections (New Jazz)
Troubles (Hat Hut)
NY Capers (Hat Hut

and all the rest

Rob C · June-14th-2004, 06:07 PM

As I suspected, interesting to see little overlap so far!

I haven't heard any of the Lacy/Waldron discs, but Dreher is definitely on my list of to-gets.

LeMo · June-14th-2004, 07:13 PM

No order.

- More Monk (Soul Note)
- Scratching The Seventies Dreams (Saravah)
- Five Facings (FMP)
- Sempre Amor (Soul Note)
- Bye-ya (Free Lance)
- Works (Sketch)
- Reflections (OJC)
- Morning Joy (hatOLOGY)
- We See (hatOLOGY)
- Vespers (Soul Note)

+

- Weal & Woe (Emanem)
- Hooky (Emanem)
- Chirps (FMP)
- 5 by Monk x 5 by Lacy (Silkheart)
- Evidence (OJC)

AlexV · June-14th-2004, 08:56 PM

Morning Joy
School Days
Vespers
Monk's Dream
Beat Suite
Futurities
Anthem
Round Midnight
Actuality
NY Capers and Quirks

...and so much more.

tom · June-15th-2004, 01:25 PM

Morning Joy
Scratching the Seventies
5 x Monk 5 x Lacy
Hooky
Solo at Egg Farm
Sempre Amore
The Rent
Two, Five & Six Blinks
Weal & Woe
Five Facings

Joe Milazzo · June-15th-2004, 01:41 PM

My 10:

STRAIGHT HORN
N.Y. CAPERS AND QUIRKS
REFLECTIONS
THE DOOR
EVIDENCE
ONE FELL SWOOP
SCHOOL DAYS
REVENUE
TRICKLES
ONLY MONK

Paul B · June-15th-2004, 02:01 PM

Clinkers
Capers
The Window
Disposability
Spirit of Mingus
Lapis
Crops
Work
Hooky
Trio Live

....but this could change anytime.

GodSpeliZed · June-29th-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

Dutch Masters (Mengelberg is listed first, but this seems like a collective effort, and has some wonderful Lacy comps and playing)

Agree. This is a very good one. I'm not a connoisseur of Lacy, but I like this. Every musician is a genius in his own field (Mengelberg is more than an excellent pianist, Rejseger is one of the most innovative and provocative cellist, Bennink one of the best drummer in all the world) and even if they sound more 'contained' than in other works, there's a magnificent interplay and a good sense of measure that make the pieces grow at every hearing.

michaelr · June-29th-2004, 09:05 PM

I'd have to add:

The Way
and also Prospectus (reissued as Clichés)

al j · June-29th-2004, 09:48 PM

Hooky
Reflections
Jazz Realities
School Days
NY Capers & Quirks
Live at Dreher

Felix · May-8th-2005, 11:25 AM

My (current) ten favorites:

-Morning Joy (hatOlogy)
-School Days (hatOlogy)
-Reflections (New Jazz)
-N. Y. Capers & Quirks (hatOlogy)
-The Window (Soul Note)
-(with Mal Waldron): Live At Dreher Paris, vol. 1 & 2 (hatOlogy)
-Work (Sketch)
-Monk's Dream (Verve)
-Wee See (hatOlogy)
-The Forest and the Zoo (ESP)

And I will certainly listen to Straight Horn a lot more once I get it on CD (just ordered it this week).

JaSt · May-11th-2005, 07:27 AM

The Gleam (Silkheart)

Zephyr · May-21st-2005, 08:58 AM

Sempre Amore

stonemonkts · May-21st-2005, 11:04 AM

Way back when this thread originated I listed "More Monk" among my favorites. Now after hearing it (and many other Lacy recordings multiple times) I can state I'm not terribly wild about it anymore. Of his solo stuff I much prefer "Hooky" and "Clinkers".

Also I can easily add "Five Facings" to my favorites. Wonderful series of duos with very sympatico pianists (Mengelberg, Crispell, et. al. ).

I still adore his work with Waldron. I think Mal's approach softened some of the rougher edges of Lacy's approach. Many fans dislike his stuff with Waldron for just this reason, but I'm not among them. Perhaps in later years my taste will evolve that way.

The nice thing about Lacy's stuff is how much repeated listenings reward, always hearing something new or "hearing" what he does more clearly, if you know what I mean.

Alto Giant · May-21st-2005, 01:54 PM

Could you tell me the best of him?? So not those you prefer but his most important records..

tom · May-23rd-2005, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alto Giant

Could you tell me the best of him?? So not those you prefer but his most important records..

the 50's:

Reflections: Steve Lacy plays the music of Thelonious Monk (Original Jazz Classics)

the 60's:

Steve Lacy-Roswell Rudd Quartet: School days (Hatology)
Steve Lacy: The forest and the zoo (ESP)
The Forest and the zoo is Lacy's most well-known free jazz album of that decade although I prefer the album 'Moon', which is maybe hard to find.

the 70's:

Steve Lacy: Scratching the seventies (3cd-set, Saravah)
A must have compilation of five albums of that period, including his first solo album 'Lapis'.
Steve Lacy (solo): Weal & Woe (Emanem)
Steve Lacy (solo): Hooky (Emanem)
Steve Lacy: The Way (2cd-set, Hatology)

the 80's:

Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy: Live at Dreher (4cd-set, Hatology)
Steve Lacy Quartet: Morning Joy (Hatology)

the 90's:

It's difficult to say which are his most important records of that decade. Lacy had already made his most groundbraking recordings. I'll give you some very very good albums from the 90's and the new millenium.

Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron: Hot House (Novus)
Steve Lacy (solo): Remains (Hatology)
Steve Lacy (solo): 5 x Monk 5 x Lacy (Silkheart)
Steve Lacy trio: The rent (2cd-set, Cavity Search)
Steve Lacy (solo): Actuality (Cavity Search)
Steve Lacy (solo): Ten of Dukes and six originals (Senators records)

Anyone agrees or disagrees?

Rob C · May-23rd-2005, 02:51 PM

You didn't go to the '00s, but I think at least that The Beat Suite is an important Lacy record from his last years.

Rob C · May-23rd-2005, 02:54 PM

Oh, and I would add The Window to a list of must-haves, as well. A great trio record.

tom · May-23rd-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

You didn't go to the '00s, but I think at least that The Beat Suite is an important Lacy record from his last years.

I did. 10 of Dukes and six originals is from 2000. I second your recommendation for 'The window'. It's indeed a great trio record.

tom · May-23rd-2005, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

Way back when this thread originated I listed "More Monk" among my favorites. Now after hearing it (and many other Lacy recordings multiple times) I can state I'm not terribly wild about it anymore. Of his solo stuff I much prefer "Hooky" and "Clinkers".

Although 'More Monk' is imo a very fine record, I prefer his solo live albums with Monk's compositons from the 90's and 00's

5 x Monk 5 x Lacy (Silkheart, 1994)
Blues for Aida: solo at Egg Farm (Space Who, 1995)
Materioso Monk's Mood (Onyx Jazz Club, 2001)

IMO these are also among his best solo albums:

Weal & Woe (Emanem, 1973)
Remains (Hatology, 1991)
Actuallity (Cavity Search, 1995)
10 of Dukes and six originals (Senators records, 2000)

Felix · May-23rd-2005, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom

the 80's:

Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy: Live at Dreher (4cd-set, Hatology)
Steve Lacy Quartet: Morning Joy (Hatology)

Glad you added Morning Joy. It's certainly my favorite Lacy album, and one of the best jazz albums of the 80's in my opinion.

I'd add Wee See for the 90's. Fine album, also interesting to hear Lacy with a trumpet player (that's pretty rare) and vibraphonist, it gives a different sound.

Also, I'm listening to The Gap right now, and I like it a lot, maybe more than some of the highly rated stuff on the Saravah box.

Nate Dorward · May-23rd-2005, 09:58 PM

No love for Bye-Ya here? I liked that one a lot, maybe in part because of the Raworth connection.

Yeah I find More Monk a bit dull for some reason. Clinkers is great.

tom · May-24th-2005, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

No love for Bye-Ya here? I liked that one a lot, maybe in part because of the Raworth connection.

I like Bye-ya too, especially Pi pande were Avenal plays the kora. I'm not familar with Raworth. Is he a contemporary American poet?

tom · May-24th-2005, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felix

I'd add Wee See for the 90's. Fine album, also interesting to hear Lacy with a trumpet player (that's pretty rare) and vibraphonist, it gives a different sound.

Also, I'm listening to The Gap right now, and I like it a lot, maybe more than some of the highly rated stuff on the Saravah box.

I've read that short before his death Lacy led a band named 'Monksieland' with trumpet player Dave Douglas. It's a pity that this band never had the change to make a record.

I've recently bought The Gap and I've only listened to it a few times. I'll listen to it more. Last year The Belgian small label 'Naked Music' released a live album from the same band as The Gap but unfortunately the sound quality is really bad.

Steve Lacy Quintet - Gravensteen
info: http://afkikker.be/mambo/index.php?o...nc=detail&id=6

In 2002 Lacy played a series of farewell concerts in Belgium before he returned to the US to teach at the New England Conservatory. Leo recently released a live album with Joelle Leandre from that tour: One More Time. I like it very much!

Nate Dorward · May-24th-2005, 12:05 PM

Raworth's British (or globetrotting)--his site is here:

www.tomraworth.com

Nate Dorward · May-24th-2005, 12:05 PM

photos of Lacy here:

http://www.tomraworth.com/lacobit.html

Rob C · May-24th-2005, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

You didn't go to the '00s, but I think at least that The Beat Suite is an important Lacy record from his last years.

I listened to this again after posting this. I really think this is one of the best collections of Lacy's compositions.

It's such a shame that he didn't get a chance to work these pieces out over several years after this original recording. I would love to hear these without vocals (and actually this features some of Irene Aebi's most tolerable--even enjoyable!--vocals; but I'd love to hear the music on its own).

Felix · May-24th-2005, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

No love for Bye-Ya here?

Yeah, Bye-Ya is another good one, along with The Holy "La" (same group, same label).