on the subject of Steve Lacy
driving home from work today, i saw one of the worst billboards i've ever seen. not that it was corny or anything, it was just in bad taste. it was a big picture of Marvin Gaye that said "never blend in", and it was an ad for Hennessy liquor. what horrible taste to use Marvin's image for an alcohol ad, when he was consumed by substance abuse. the billboard is on the corner of 4th and 5th, so its placement is understandable, being at the edge of the ghetto.
allmusic.com is such a wonderful resource, its the ultimate instant-access music reference. its helped me get into many many bands with its "similar artists" section. i was browing it today when suddenly the name of an artist i hadn't heard in a while popped into my mind: Steve Lacy. mom had bought me a CD of his that the library was selling off, and i remember initially not liking it at all. so, i popped in the CD, and typed his name into the webpage. i was saddened to see that he died about a year ago.
upon hearing this album again (Reflections- Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk), i decided that i love it. apart from having a great rhythm section (led by Elvin Jones), his soprano playing is light, but intensely personal. i always got the feeling that soprano sax players were prone to wild solos and fitting in as many notes as possible into a measure, but i don't feel this way about Steve Lacy. also, he gives his band plenty of room to stretch out, and rightly so. its always exciting to hear Elvin Jones play.
one last note: i only found out about the Intonation Music Festival the other day, and i'm pissed that i can't go. i would totally make a quick trip up to chicago to see fucking Tortoise and Broken Social Scene!!! however, lovely emily is going, and i told her how envious i was. as a result, she is going to bring me back a pin! hell, i'll take anything she has to give.
allmusic.com is such a wonderful resource, its the ultimate instant-access music reference. its helped me get into many many bands with its "similar artists" section. i was browing it today when suddenly the name of an artist i hadn't heard in a while popped into my mind: Steve Lacy. mom had bought me a CD of his that the library was selling off, and i remember initially not liking it at all. so, i popped in the CD, and typed his name into the webpage. i was saddened to see that he died about a year ago.
upon hearing this album again (Reflections- Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk), i decided that i love it. apart from having a great rhythm section (led by Elvin Jones), his soprano playing is light, but intensely personal. i always got the feeling that soprano sax players were prone to wild solos and fitting in as many notes as possible into a measure, but i don't feel this way about Steve Lacy. also, he gives his band plenty of room to stretch out, and rightly so. its always exciting to hear Elvin Jones play.
one last note: i only found out about the Intonation Music Festival the other day, and i'm pissed that i can't go. i would totally make a quick trip up to chicago to see fucking Tortoise and Broken Social Scene!!! however, lovely emily is going, and i told her how envious i was. as a result, she is going to bring me back a pin! hell, i'll take anything she has to give.