Steve Lacy Solo

Solo concerts by saxophonists are a recent development in jazz. Hawkins, Rollins, Dolphy and especially Anthony Braxton opened the way, and now it seems quite logical and, in a certain sense, easy to fill an evening with a single voice.

(Steve Lacy, 1974)

Recorded in 1972

Steve Lacy soprano saxophone

Ind. Title Composer Dur.
1/ The Breath Steve Lacy 5:35
2/ Stations 5:55
3/ Cloudy 3:10
4/ The New Duck 5:40
5/ Josephine 5:40
6/ Weal 4:05
7/ Name 5:00
8/ The Wool 5:50

Recorded live on August 7 & 8, 1972 - Théâtre du Chêne Noir à Avignon (France).Engineer: Georg Radanowicz.

Cover poster: Pierre Surtel. Cover art: Jak Kilby.

Note (Kentz & Roussel discography v. 5): there are two pressings of the Emanem LP; the one from 1974 has the liner notes typesetted, the second one (1975) typewritten (the sound quality on the first pressing is very poor, according to Martin Davidson).

Liner Notes

This record is a cross-selection from two evenings of unaccompanied soprano saxophone music. They were given in the disaffected church belonging to the Chêne Noir Theatre Group in Avignon. The acoustics are superb and the vibes were good.

 The Breath comes from a cycle of six songs (Tao) using words by Lao-Tsu, and is dedicated to Gil Evans.

 Stations (to Monk) uses a small radio and whatever program material one can find on the spot as a background and source of improvisation.

 Cloudy turns off the station but leaves the static on to set-off the eleven cloud-rows.

 The New Duck is a tribute to Ben Webster and is one of several 'animal' pieces in my bag.

 Josephine was an idea I had for an opera based on the Kafka short story about the mice singer and her career as an 'artiste'. This version gives the Overture, Chorus of Mice and the Work Song. "Our singer is called Josephine. Anyone who has not heard her does not know the power of song."

 Weal is for my good friend Roswell Rudd and is an evocation of the harshness of trying to survive intact on the New York jazz scene.

 Name is another song from the 'Tao' cycle, and takes its message by way of Charlie Parker. If THE BREATH is the valley, then NAME is the mountain .

 The Wool is a single stranded version of a piece written to honour the eminent writer and sociologist, Elias Canetti.

Solo concerts by saxophonists are a recent development in jazz. Hawkins, Rollins, Dolphy and especially Anthony Braxton opened the way, and now it seems quite logical and, in a certain sense, easy to fill an evening with a single voice.

Steve Lacy (excerpt from liner notes)

Solo concert at Theatre du Chene Noir - August 1972

Solo Concert at Théâtre du Chêne Noir, Avignon (France) - August 1972