The Cry - reviews

Jazz Hot

L'incroyable avec Steve Lacy c'est que, quelles que soient les voies qu'il explore, il reste toujours lui-même, c'est-à-dire grand. Ce disque est né de la prise de conscience du sort fait aux femmes au Bangladesh et de sa rencontre avec Taslima Nasrin, I'écrivain victime d'une fatwa, comme Rushdie. D'où ce « cri », sur des textes de Taslima (sauf le dernier écrit par une prostituée indienne devenue prêtresse et poétesse au 5e siècle avant J. C.), qui devient un cri pour toutes les femmes maltraitées dans le monde entier. Raison aussi qui a déterminé Steve à prendre beaucoup de musiciennes (elles sont 4 sur 6). Ces textes sont chantés en anglais avec passion par Irene Aebi dans le grave de sa voix de contralto. Elle ne possède pas le « stress and emphasis », les accentuations propres à la langue anglaise, ce qui finalement ajoute un charme supplémentaire à son chant et fait la connection avec le parler anglais de l'lnde. Ces chants sont prenants, lancinants, émouvants, beaux. Steve Lacy les souligne discrètement de quelques notes avec ce son moelleux, chargé d'âme, qu'on lui connaît. Il a choisi l'instrumentation pour qu'il y ait connection entre les textes et les timbres qui évoqueraient succintement la musique indienne. Jean-Jacques Avenel fait une remarquable partie de basse, très émouvante, comme sur Dark And Handsome, où il est suivi sur le même feeling par l'accordéon de Cathrin Pfeifer. Certes ce disque est un peu sur la frontière du jazz, mais Steve Lacy déclare: « C'est l'aspect danse des chansons qui fait swinguer les mots ». Et c'est vrai. Et c'est un très beau disque. De la musique qui vous remue l'intérieur.

Serge Baudot (Jazz Hot supplément n° 577, 02/2001)

Improjazz

De major en micro companies, un rapide tour d'horizon des dernières parutions discographiques documentant le travail de Steve Lacy permet non seulement de mesurer la vitalité créative du sopraniste, mais aussi d'évaluer l'intérêt que l'on porte justement à ses travaux des dernières décennies. On pourra ainsi retenir des sorties de l'année écoulée quelques recueils particulièrement intéressants : publié par Soul Note, The Cry (SN 121315-2) est un double album consacré aux poèmes de Taslima Nasrin qu'il faut ranger aux côtés des tout meilleurs disques de Jazzpoetry réalisés par Lacy (je pense ici aux Songs avec Gysin, aux Futurities avec Creeley, aux Vespers avec Dimitrova, ou à la Tao Suite de The Way d'après Lao Tseu ; quant aux Treize Regards, sur des textes de Tsvetaeva, déjà radiodiffusés, ils n'attendent qu'un éditeur courageux... On trouvera d'ailleurs ces textes, au milieu d'autres, dans le volume publié en octobre dernier chez Gallimard, collection Poésie, sous le titre Le ciel brûle). Créé dans des conditions peu propices (il avait été donné, " par défaut ", au Dunois parisien en avril 1997, cf. compte rendu de Jacques Oger), ce cycle offre, sur scène, un spectacle auquel il ne manque que des danseurs : les treize poèmes de l'auteur du Bangladesh évoquent la douloureuse conquête féminine d'une vie libre ; mis en musique, ils sont interprétés avec une minutie d'orfèvre(s) par un groupe original réuni autour du sopraniste. On retrouve, dans une combinaison inédite de timbres, le clavecin de Petia Kaufman et l'accordéon de Cathrin Pfeifer, la voix d'Irène Aebi avec les saxes soprano, sopranino et la clarinette basse de Tina Wrase†, la fidèle et toujours inventive contrebasse de Jean-Jacques Avenel avec les percussions de Daniel " Topo " Gioia. Les thèmes, d'inspirations variées, tantôt majestueusement poignants, tantôt enlevés, permettent breaks compacts d'improvisation et plages plus méditatives. Atypique et typique de l'art lacyen, un recueil à haute densité poétique, indispensable.

Guillaume Tarche (Improjazz, 01/2000) - article complet

Jazz Magazine - disque d'émoi

Monk, Herman Melville, Philippe Soupault, Picabia, Robert Creeley, Taslima Nasrin… en Suisse, Catalogne, Orégon… à Berlin, au Théâtre Dunois… Lacy sème à tous vents… en trio, duo, septette mis en scène avec effets de lumière et costumes… Free, polyfree, simplissime… Selon l'axe du soprano, de l'alto toujours sprechgesang d'Irène Aebi, de la basse intarissable conteuse d'Avenel… Irrépressible flot de chants et de mots martelés, clamés, psalmodiés comme autant d'incantations pour l'art, la liberté, la folie, le corps, le cri, la beauté, l'amour, la paix et toutes sortes de riens sans quoi cette vie ne serait pas grand-chose. Soit trois moments ou saisons, trois échantillons, trois nuances ou mélanges extraits de ce stream qui sourd depuis quelque quarante-cinq ans. Lequel de ces cd ? Comme dans certaines sources thermales, chacun choisira selon son état d'âme et ses besoins : avec ou sans paroles, en petite ou moyenne formation, en public ou studio, minimaliste ou à dose forte. Mais renouvelable.

Jean Levin (Jazz Magazine 499, 12/1999)

Note : critique commune des albums The Rent, The Cry et The Joan Miro Foundation Concert

JAZZIZ

[…] Recorded live, The Cry's two discs make Lacy's connections to theater and poetry explicit; the liner notes include credits for scenery, lighting and costume. […] Nasrin has experienced extensive persecution because of her criticism of radical fundamentalist Islam and that Lacy conceived this work as a commentary on women's societal status in general.

Lacy aficionados will note that the alternating block structure and improvisation here is similar to Lacy's late - '70s "poly-free" period, and should value the opportunity to hear Lacy work with what are, outside of Aebi and Avenel, unfamiliar musicians. Others interested in an unconventional feminist work that gracefully eschews the didactic are encouraged to delve in.

Patrick Hughes (JAZZIZ, 08/1999)

Down Beat

[…] Nasrin's poems are powerful testaments of rage, condemnation, heartbreak, lust and desire in a country where women are treated like medieval chattel and, according to Nasrin, a man can with impunity throw acid on the face of a young girl who refuses to marry him. Some of the settings work well. I particularly liked the lovely rise and fall of Straight Path, the thumb-piano-inspired melody on Désir d'Amour and the contrary, jazz-like movement of Rundown "(Ambapali Speaks)". (Though leavened with tango and waltz rhythms, The Cry is not a swing piece.) […]

Paul de Barros (Down Beat, 08/1999)

Jazztimes

This "jam opera", to use Lacy's term, is one of the most demanding undertakings of a risk-strewn career. It is based on the haunting, harrowing poetry of exiled Bangladesh poet, Taslima Nasrin, who, like Salman Rushdie, lives under threats of death issued by Moslem fundamentalists offended by her "blasphemous" writings. Lacy and Nasrin were both artists in residence for a year in Berlin at the behest of the German government, whose elaborate (and very necessary) security measures made Nasrin a virtual house prisoner. Lacy was moved to formulate a piece involving Nasrin's texts, Irene Aebi's vocals, and music by a unique sextet […]. The initial performance also featured Nasrin's recitals of her poems in the original Bengali, her presence necessitating bulletproof glass shields and other logistical problems, but we are told she suffered stagefright (who wouldn't). If Nasrin isn't present for the CD version, her uncompromising feminist vision is.

Musically, The Cry evokes the Brecht-Weill of The Three Penny Opera in various ways.The political nature of the texts is comparable, though it should be noted that Nasrin's poems have to do with male/female oppression on a direct personal level that isn't concerned with the politics of economics. Aebi's vocals are dramatic and declamatory, much like the "Three Penny" singers, and the music often has a similar feeling of wounded folksong. It takes several tracks to move far from the basic motif, and in this and other ways Lacy creates a constricted feeling in keeping with the themes of the texts. But within narrowly defined parameters, the group achieves a great deal; the ensemble sound is brilliant and kaleidoscopic, and every track leaves room for instrumental exposition that gives everyone a chance to shine, and it need hardly be said that these are all excellent players.

This was not conceived as comfortable music and it isn't. But it succeeds in everything it sets out to do, and looking at some of life's disagreeable truths is part of that. The Cry is an impressive accomplishment by all concerned.

Duck Baker (Jazztimes, 07-08/1999)

Cadence

For Steve Lacy, experimenting with unique musical formats and controversial subjects is not unusual, yet he goes further afield on The Cry. Irene Aebi, his soul mate on so many recordings, is again present, and his normal double soprano lineup (this time with Tina Wrase as his alter ego) is also here, but so are the freely spun harpsichord flights of Petia Kaufman and accordion pulsations of Cathrin Pfeifer. Bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and drummer Daniel "Topo" Gioia round out the rhythm section.

The recording is a double CD featuring Aebi reciting and singing the extended text of Taslima Nasrin, the Bangladeshi writer and crusader for woman's rights in that religiously and politically fragmented southern Asia country. She now is in exile and hiding due to her public demonstrativeness. Lacy set her narratives to music and presented the opus as a form of musical theater complete with special visual effects and costume. The public performance captured on these discs encompasses a dozen songs with Nasrin's poems, plus a thirteenth with words by a fifth century BC poetess.

The music is what we have come to expect from a Lacy group. It includes fiery soprano solos from both reedists, excellent vocal interrelationships from Aebi, intriguing improvised chemistry as the harpsichord and accordion mesh, and a probing and inspiring rhythm team. This musical theater delivers, through changing mood swings and intense and passionate playing, the critical message denied Nasrin in her homeland. It is at once a musical triumph and a public declaration on the plight of women around the world. Lacy is to be congratulated for his courage and applauded for his artistic triumph. This is musical drama of high order.

Frank Rubolino (Cadence Vol. 25 No. 6, 06/1999)

All About Jazz #3

Although THE CRY furthers the fascination soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy has previously established with setting the work of women writers to music, it also breaks significant new ground in it’s bold, uncompromising feminist political slant. In that single respect, THE CRY could well prove to be as controversial as it is compelling.
[…]

To help realize this ambitious theme, Lacy chose an ensemble that included as many women as possible. His selection of instrumentation is unusual, a septet comprised of soprano sax, bass clarinet, harpsichord, accordion, acoustic bass, percussion, and woman’s voice. Although the liner notes state that Lacy found a timbral relationship between the words and harpsichord and accordion, it could also be suggested that the use of these instruments serve as tonal analogues to the sitar and harmonium (both of which are used extensively in music from the Indian subcontinent).

While difficult to categorize, Lacy vaguely describes THE CRY as a “jam opera”. In the opinion of this reviewer, AAJ readers who are familiar with the works of composer/saxophonist/bassoonist Lindsay Cooper will find many similarities (both musically and philosophically) between her recordings and THE CRY. Lacy’s score flawlessly combines song and improvisation, with a strong reliance on dance rhythms (waltz, rumba, tango, etc.) to provide momentum as well as textual emphasis (“It’s the dance aspect of the songs that makes the music swing” – Steve Lacy).

It is to Lacy’s credit that the recording successfully manages to capture the confrontational mood of the texts whilst maintaining a musically challenging and atmospherically charged environment without resorting to unnecessarily confrontational or foreboding elements. What could have been ponderous and overbearing is instead nimble and yet, aggressive.

Special commendation must be made for vocalist Irene Aebi who admirably meets the daunting challenge of transforming Nasrin’s text into true song. The words insist upon special and careful interpretation as various characters and moods emerge. Aebi’s performance ably adapts to the demands as severe emotional extremes are traversed, alternating from pure terror to raw passion and sensuality. In this respect, Aebi authenticates the premise behind THE CRY, infusing it with her own emotions while singing for all women.

Allen Huotari (All About Jazz, 05/1999) whole article

All About Jazz #2

Having established his reputation as an insightful interpreter of Monk in the late '50s and early '60s, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy drew political attention with his 1973 anti-Vietnam suite The Woe. Adding to his continuum of political song-cycles, Lacy collaborates on his new epic work The Cry with Bangladeshi activist Taslima Nasrin. Nasrin’s ‘93 novella Laija was banned in Muslim Bangladesh for its subversive feminist content. […] On The Cry, Nasrin’s texts are brought to life by the powerful vocalist Irene Aebi, along with accompaniment by Lacy and six other musicians, ranging from baroque harpsichordist Petia Kaufman to world-beat accordionist Cathrin Pfeifer, to Indian-trained reedist Tina Wrase. The Cry brings together many different cultures from all over the planet, but Lacy’s enlightened leadership somehow makes it work. Lacy’s compositions favor ensemble lyricism, allowing the development of parallel improvised lines. The Cry achieves a delicate balance: it’s open enough to hold the listener's interest, but focused enough to be musically and lyrically compelling.

Nils Jacobson (All About Jazz, 05/1999) whole article

All About Jazz #1

Steve Lacy, the great master of the soprano saxophone and one of the unacknowledged greatest improvisers ever, continues a long series of art songs and settings of poetry in this new 2-disc set from Soul Note, the always challenging Italian label. Stretching back to the Sixties Lacy and vocalist Irene Aebi have recorded songs by lyricists including Lacy himself, 19th-century American novelist Herman Melville, poet Robert Creeley, a group of modern Russian poets, and many more. The Cry is a setting of twelve poems by the Bengali renegade poetess Taslima Nasrin.

Nasrin's poetry has embroiled her in controversy and danger in her native land, and certainly her poetic voice is strong, clear, and riveting. Aebi's somewhat detached vocal style works well with this material, for Nasrin tosses off wrenching images of female subjugation ("So that if he wishes he can pull out my eyes") in outrageous proximity to declarations of adoring love ("So that loving him, I would melt like wax") - without a little detachment this would be unbearable.

The musicians are billed here as "Steve Lacy + 6," with only three holdovers from Lacy's long-lived and formidable sextet: Aebi, bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel, and Lacy himself. Whether or not Lacy looked for female performers to work with this material, they certainly are here in force: Tina Wrase on soprano and sopranino saxophones as well as bass clarinet; Petia Kaufman on harpsichord, and Cathrin Pfeifer on accordion.
[…]

Of course, Lacy's playing is the best highlight of the disc. When everything drops away except the fragile, tensile beauty of his soprano, it is a fleeting chance to hear one of the greatest masters at work. And he is heard amply on this disc, both alone and fronting the other musicians. So if you haven't heard him, this one is well worth hearing. And if you have heard him, you'll know that this disc is essential.

Robert Spencer (All About Jazz, 05/1999) whole article

New York Times

The Cry is haunted by a powerful sense of displacement, only here it is cruelly literal. In a 1994 issue of The New Yorker, Mr. Lacy read a poem called "Happy Marriage" by the Bangladeshi feminist Taslima Nasrin, who has been placed under a fatwa for her criticisms of the Koran.

Mr. Lacy recalled: "I experienced a kind of shock, and nearly all my work begins with a shock, something that moves or upsets me. Irene had been interested in finding some mature women's poems, and she asked me to set 'Happy Marriage' to music. I said, 'How can you sing this? It's too strong!' But then I sat down at the piano, and it started going by itself."
[…]

Mr. Lacy's 40-page score for "The Cry", which he calls a "jam-opera" because it involves extensive improvisation, is written for an unusual ensemble of harpsichord, accordion, bass, percussion, two reeds and voice. The music swings, but the seductive, vaguely menacing sonorities are classical ones, inviting comparison with cabaret-influenced chamber pieces like Pierre Boulez's Marteau Sans Maître.
[…]

Adam Shatz (New York Times, 31/01/99) - more from this article