There have been a few requests for this over the years, a fine record from 1978, long out of print, which opens with a stunning Version of Ellingtons the Mooche, which as recorded by Sydney Bechet in 1941, apparently was the catalyst for Lacy finally dedicating himself to the Soprano saxophone
and the Arrangement is not light years removed from the original , apart from a few trade mark whole tone scales..
although at first it seems rather clunky ,somehow the spare less effusive treatment , gives the great tune a more distant outer worldly character, lacy seems for a few fleeting moments in his solo to directly quote Bechets own ... the blues feeling of which is almost completely erased , the Blues was never a huge influence on lacys repertoire , Potts touches on those aspects very effectively.
Pot Pourri the second piece is a brief solo medley , and one of the few times in his entire discography where Lacy directly references John Coltrane, by quoting Tranes arrangement of my favourite things , as everyone knows Lacy's Soprano saxophone playing ,inspired Coltrane in much the same way Bechet inspired him , with very different results,some of which have had baleful dire consequences on players of the instrument ever since .
The rest is the band in gloriously fulsome free mode , including the 3 very fine at times explosive Potts/Lacy duets which make up the 3 points suite, Potts is so great on this ,every bit as engagingly inventive as Lacy ,often Upstaging him.... what a wonderful under appreciated , under recorded master saxophonist!
All in All a typically wonderful session from this period
ENJOY!!
S
PS-I picked this up online at the SFRP Forum, four or five years ago , this is not my rip...
A Big thanks to LeMo ,the Original presumed ripper, and Uploader !!
i havent changed the files in anyway.. other than tagging them.
-Points- : Steve Lacy (sop) Steve Potts (sop,as) Kent Carter (b) Oliver Johnson (d)
Paris, February 1978,Le Chant du Monde (F)LDX74680
The mooche
Pot-pourri solo (sl solo) -
Stalks (sp out) -
Three points suite : Free point (sl,sp duet) -
Still point (sl,sp duet)
Moot point (sl,sp duet)
