ROVA plays Lacy: Favorite Street

ROVA plays Lacy:

Favorite Street
I'm always trying to make music that one can see, to almost hold visually.

(Steve Lacy)

Recorded in 1983
Jon Raskin baritone sax (1, 2), alto sax (3, 4, 5), clarinet (6, 7) Larry Ochs tenor sax (all comp. except 7), sopranino sax (7) Andrew Voigt alto sax (1, 2, 3, 4), soprano sax (5, 6), flute (6), sopranino sax (7) Bruce Ackley soprano sax (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), clarinet (6, 7)

Ind. Title Composer Dur.
1/ The Dumps Steve Lacy, arr. A. Voigt 2:15
2/ The Throes Steve Lacy, arr L. Ochs 4:34
3/ Sidelines Steve Lacy, arr. J. Raskin 5:12
4/ Undone Steve Lacy, arr L. Ochs 6:56
5/ Beeline Steve Lacy, arr. B. Ackley 10:33
6/ Moon Steve Lacy, arr L. Ochs 9:56
7/ Snips Steve Lacy, arr L. Ochs 3:10

Recorded on November 15, 16 and 17, 1983 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano (Italy).

Liner Notes

Lacy's compositions may aspire to aural and visual communication ("I'm always trying to make music that one can see, to almost hold visually."), but they begin life as sheer skeletal outlines which demand fleshing out by the player - much in the fashion of one of Lacy' mentor, Thelonious Monk. "The harmony, melody, and rhythm are all interesting in Monk's tunes", Lacy has revealed. "I like their shapes, and the way they interlock - the harmonies give the shape colours." Similary, Rova has approached Lacy's elastic lines in ways which allow them to set up structured situations inside the avenues of free improvisation.

Each of these pieces has been intricately arranged in order to create a "field" - of energy, motion, motive - to support, contrast, reinforce, inspire, direct, distort, and shape the quartet's creative endeavors. The results are as challenging (and as rewarding) to the players as to the listeners. And that's as it should be.

Lacy's compositions present labyrinthine paths for the improviser. Lit by their illuminating choices, Rova's Favorite Street offers us a map of surprise and delight.

Art Lange (excerpt from the sleeve notes)