Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax (side A)

Steve Lacy released his debut Soprano Sax in 1958.  It features his first recording of a Monk tune (the obscurity "Work") and his first collaboration with drummer Denis Charles.  In many other ways, though, Lacy is still constrained here by the idiom of his time.  While Charles was already a forward-thinking drummer, who also worked with Cecil Taylor on Looking Ahead! a year later, here he predominantly provides a swinging ride-cymbal-based beat.  Lacy and Charles's collaboration here fits the style of the times and only hints at the magic that they'd find together years later, on records like NY Capers.  While the Monk tune gives Lacy some room to stretch, the rest of Soprano Sax finds him working in more conventional tonal and structural confines.  Wynton Kelly, while a fine pianist, rarely seems to grasp Lacy's exploratory side.  My vinyl reissue sounds pretty good, but the exaggerated treble on the ride cymbal feels a bit out of place.  The green tint on the cover photo of Lacy nicely captures the character of its era — the conventional portrait illustrates how much Lacy began working within the jazz system of this era.