Steve Lacy / Mal Waldron

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

That was Chuck's gig: putting together a Monk re-union big band that included Monk. After Monk's death the project was carried through with Mal. Killer band. Steve Lacy, Phil Woods, Charlie Rouse in the sax section. Supposed to have been Pepper Adams, but he was ill, too, so Howard Johnson. Ben Riley on drums? Who was in that band, Chuck? Do you still have the set list?

(snip)

Back in November 1981, I attended the evening concert at Columbia University which was titled "Interpretations of Monk". Everybody kind of knew that Monk was in his last days (he died the following February) and various tributes were being performed or played on radio during that time. Between the afternoon and evening concerts, four sets of Monk music were performed, a total of 23 Monk compositions with no duplication of any Monk tune, save for "Epistrophy". Four different pianists were featured, Muhal Richard Abrams on the opening afternoon set, Barry Harris on the closing afternoon set, Anthony Davis on the opening evening set, and Mal Waldron on the final and closing evening set. The front line for all four sets consisted of Steve Lacy, Charlie Rouse, Roswell Rudd and Don Cherry. So that was the only time I got to see Steve and Mal together although I had caught them several times previously and subsequently with their own groups. Anyway, during that final set, Mal and Steve performed excellent duets on "Let's Call This" and "Reflections". Some fifteen years later or thereabouts, Japanese DIW Columbia released the entire day's worth of concerts on a four CD package. a release I highly recommend if it can still be obtained. The music was and remains, sublime.

[paul secor]

I have a number of Lacy/Waldron collaborations, but Herbe de L'oubli & Snake-Out and Let's Call This - both duo (except for Enrico Rava on 1 cut) 2 LP sets on hat ART are the two I enjoy the most and return to most often. They were recorded over a 3 day period - August 13-15, 1981 in Paris, and for me there's a magic in these recordings. (I realize that's not very "critical", but so be it.) I could live with these just two sets and be happy without any other Lacy/Waldron.

Also just want to mention Interpretations of Monk on DIW. One of the 4 CDs is by a band with both Lacy and Waldron, along with Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Charlie Rouse, Richard Davis, and Ed Blackwell. I've only played it once, so I can't comment with any authority, except to say that I have good memories of the one listen.

[skeith]

I probably don't qualify as an informed opinion.

I did see them live several times in NYC.

my favorite recordings are:

Live Dreher, Paris 1981

Communique

[Lazaro Vega]

Glad to share the memories.

The Columbia Monk tribute concerts have been re-issued in America, on Koch records, I believe as two double cds. One listen and you'll hear that Lacy was really "on." He seems the most inspired soloist on almost every set, something the audience responds to as well. Have to dig the duo selections from that concert again.

The things I remember about the Monk big band reunion concert -- I was in the second row behind the photo pit -- were how swinging it was, the stellar solos, and how well the band played the arrangements. Don't know how much rehearsal they had, but they nailed those. I believe they were playing the Hall Overton arrangements. Is that right? Some of the sax soli sections were crazy and they just ate them up.

[Kalo]

Sempre Amore, the Duke/Strayhorn album, is definitely one of their peaks (& a good one for listeners who find Lacy a little dry). The only other duo album I have is Hot House, which is good though not on the same level.

My favorite, too. But I certainly haven't heard all of them.

Something special happened when these two played together. Spare but full.

[Nate Dorward]

Yeah it's great stuff. I should add that I really, really, wish a boxed set were available of Waldron's 1970s Enjas--that was a great run of stuff. I played Hard Talk over & over as a teenager. (It's got a classic version of "Snake Out" on it. Those who don't like Lacy's "outside" stuff might find it hard going though--his solos are amazingly singleminded in their focus on all the kissing, squeaking, growling sounds he can muster!)

[clifford_thornton]

Enja was, for a time, a really great label. A lot of those are pretty hard to find, though the Mal records seem to crop up fairly regularly.

[JohnS]

I've got the 'Super Quartet of Mal Waldron featuring Steve Lacy Live at Sweet Basil' cd on Paddle Wheel (Bellaphon pressing). Reggie Workman and Eddie Moore complete the quartet. I'll have to give it a spin, I can't recall very much about it.

Gave this a spin today, a couple of attractive Monk numbers and stormimg version of 'Snake Out'

[clifford_thornton]

Having Workman and Eddie Moore can't hurt...

[Lazaro Vega]

Does anyone know this one?

-Let's call this...esteem-

:Slam (E)SLAMCD501

Steve Lacy (sop) Mal Waldron (p)

Concert, "Playhouse Theatre", Oxford, May 16, 1993

Introduction (by Lol Coxhill)

Let's call this... -

Monk's dream -

In a sentimental mood -

Snake out -

Blues for Aida -

Johnny come lately -

What it is -

Evidence -

Epistrophy -

Esteem -

[king ubu]

Does anyone know this one?

-Let's call this...esteem-

:Slam (E)SLAMCD501

Steve Lacy (sop) Mal Waldron (p)

Concert, "Playhouse Theatre", Oxford, May 16, 1993

Introduction (by Lol Coxhill)

Let's call this... -

Monk's dream -

In a sentimental mood -

Snake out -

Blues for Aida -

Johnny come lately -

What it is -

Evidence -

Epistrophy -

Esteem -

Someone made a burn for me - never saw this anywhere. Will have to play it again to be able to say anything about it. Same applies to the other duos of theirs I have, "Sempre Amore", "Communiqué", "Live at Dreher" and one more of which I can't remember the title right now.

Of the group albums has been mentioned, "One-Upmanship" (Enja) is a terrific album! The Free America discs I'd only recommend to those able/willing to cope with some of the outer, wilder, free things of that era... I'm not quite sure myself how much I like them. Oh, I just see Waldron is only on one of them, anyway... The early OJC is ok, I assume, and probably one of my favourite Monk albums without Monk, but I think all Monk without Monk is ultimatley problematic. Still, I'd love to hear that 4CD thing, but I guess it's pretty unlikely I'll ever find it. Koch has such a lousy distribution here, I think I may have a total of 4 or 5 Koch Jazz discs.

The duo albums and also "One-Upmanship" should be much more immediately accessible even for listeners with no love for free or out music at all.

[gnhrtg]

Does anyone know this one?

-Let's call this...esteem-

:Slam (E)SLAMCD501

Steve Lacy (sop) Mal Waldron (p)

Concert, "Playhouse Theatre", Oxford, May 16, 1993

Introduction (by Lol Coxhill)

Let's call this... -

Monk's dream -

In a sentimental mood -

Snake out -

Blues for Aida -

Johnny come lately -

What it is -

Evidence -

Epistrophy -

Esteem -

This is my favorite of the duos I've heard (Live in Paris 1981, I Remember Thelonious [the one I liked the least, traded it], Sempre Amore). I must've memorized at least half of the solos here, and Waldron, don't remember which tune, sorry, plays a more coherent and flowing version of one of his solos off I Remember Thelonious (yes, they're very close and verbatim in parts). This was also the first Lacy/Waldron I got (back when I was living in Turkey, in one of my annual London trips), and really dug even on first spin.

Edited July 28, 2006 by gnhrtg

[fent99]

Does anyone know this one?

-Let's call this...esteem-

:Slam (E)SLAMCD501

Steve Lacy (sop) Mal Waldron (p)

Concert, "Playhouse Theatre", Oxford, May 16, 1993

Introduction (by Lol Coxhill)

Let's call this... -

Monk's dream -

In a sentimental mood -

Snake out -

Blues for Aida -

Johnny come lately -

What it is -

Evidence -

Epistrophy -

Esteem -

I really like this, good humoured live date in good sound. Lacy can be a bit dry for me though I've loads of his stuff. This though is great. On George Haslam's label http://www.slamproductions.net/menus/main.asp and he has a couple of duo albums with Waldron too which are worth th £8 he charges.

Edited July 28, 2006 by fent99

[Lazaro Vega]

Thanks for the link (interested in that UMO Orchestra Plays Muhal Richard Abrams in the 500 series). As I posted under "Steve Lacy Could Have Been 72 today" this duo album with Mal was recorded just before he made a US tour bringing his quintet to Grand Rapids for a concert I produced via The Urban Institute For Contemporary Arts. Never could afford to present the Lacy/Waldron duo. They were wonderful in Chicago.

[Uncle Skid]

Looks like quite a few of the recordings discussed here are available from the Jazz Loft.

Interestingly, "Let's call this... Esteem" is also available as a $9.99 download.

[shrugs]

Yeah it's great stuff. I should add that I really, really, wish a boxed set were available of Waldron's 1970s Enjas--that was a great run of stuff. I played Hard Talk over & over as a teenager. (It's got a classic version of "Snake Out" on it. Those who don't like Lacy's "outside" stuff might find it hard going though--his solos are amazingly singleminded in their focus on all the kissing, squeaking, growling sounds he can muster!)

yeah, a box set may be the only way Up Popped The Devil sees the light of day....

[Larry Kart]

That Chicago Jazz Fest Monk Orchestra performance with Mal on piano is one of my favorite memories. Not only was the music great, but I was out on the far edges of the crowd for some of the set and could see that quite a few perfectly ordinary people (as in, no signs of aggressive hipness) were absolutely galvanized by what they were hearing. I particularly remember two kids of about eleven or so who reacted to the opening figures of "Bye-Ya" as though they'd been hit by lightning bolts. I felt the same way myself.

About Mal, one little moment. In the late '70s or early '80s, when the Jazz Showcase was located on Rush St. beneath the Happy Medium disco, Mal and, I think, two of Joe Segal's Chicago regulars, made up the rhythm section for Sonny Stitt. (I'm pretty sure that Mal wasn't traveling with Stitt and that the pairing was Joe's doing.) It seemed like it might be an oil-and-water thing, but in fact Mal's loving, thematic, SERIOUS comping inspired some of the best and appropriately serious Stitt I'd ever heard. Between sets I went up to Mal, introduced myself, and said how fine I thought he sounded, what a pleasure it was that he was back in the U.S. for a visit, and how good it would be if he could be here more often. I don't recall exactly what he said in response, other than it was direct, no-bull, and left me feeling very good. In that respect, Mal was no Art Pepper (who in my experience could hardly bear to be told that he'd played beautifully and left you, if you'd said or written that, feeling like you'd f------ with his mind).

[shrugs]

I heard it was hard to get Mal to play in the states after they banned smoking on all US flights.

The cat who runs the Creative Music Guild in Portland, Or had to drive up to Canada to get him to play. At least that's the story he told me.

[clifford_thornton]

Of the group albums has been mentioned, "One-Upmanship" (Enja) is a terrific album! The Free America discs I'd only recommend to those able/willing to cope with some of the outer, wilder, free things of that era... I'm not quite sure myself how much I like them. Oh, I just see Waldron is only on one of them, anyway... The early OJC is ok, I assume, and probably one of my favourite Monk albums without Monk, but I think all Monk without Monk is ultimatley problematic.

Waldron does have another America LP, albeit a trio, called The Whirling Dervish (AM 6128). It's pretty good. IIRC the band is Noel McGhie and Peter "Bass Is" Warren.

Monk w/o Monk problematic? Say it ain't so!

[B. Goren.]

Today is Mal Waldron's birthday. He could have been 80.

[clifford_thornton]

Can't wait to get home from work so I can spin a few of these in Mal's Bday honor.

[andybleaden]

I have had Reflections for some time now and love it to bits.

I also have many of Mal Waldron cds from Prestige (had the lps before too). Loved to listen to them for another view on life.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have had Reflections for some time now and love it to bits.

I also have many of Mal Waldron cds from Prestige (had the lps before too). Loved to listen to them for another view on life.

You should seek out later Mal - after his breakdown and recovery. The later stuff is wonderful.

[shrugs]

Today is Mal Waldron's birthday. He could have been 80.

today I gave a cdr of the Soul Note Git Go live date to a guy rebuilding some houses near the house I am helping to rebuild. I heard him say he and his daughter listened to jazz, especially Mingus, and I remembered that someone recomended that cd to me a long time ago after a discussion on Mingus. I think it's the tension they create.

[JSngry]

Agree that Waldron/Lacy was a magical combination. Always.

Wondering what people think of the Walron/Jim Pepper duos. I've never given a helluva lot of thought to Jim Pepper one way or the other, but the duet album of him & Waldron I have (Art Of The Duo on Tutu) is superb. Apparently this was not a one-shot deal, but I've not heard anything else.

Edited August 17, 2006 by JSngry