snobb
Some people say Steve Lacy played few same tunes all his life. Speaking formally about compositions, it's difficult do not agree with that,even more - playing few same tunes lot of times he tried to record them again and again,so his really extended discography partially contains of ten or so his own "standards".But - everyone more familiar with Lacy music will agree that one can hardly find on his releases these compositions sounding too similarly. Even on his sax solo recordings (there are quite a lot of such type of releases)same songs usually sound very different.
Here on double vinyl,coming from early 80s (who said 80s were a dark time for adventurous jazz? Lacy simply doesn't care about time's fashion)Lacy plays mostly compositions from his "golden fund", as often. But what an album it is! If for many fans (including myself) Lacy's music usually associates with tuneful but ascetic/minimalist sound,usually played by small band (from solo to duo to trio),here Lacy leads sextet improved with George Lewis on trombone. And from album's music one can easily hear that here plays really small orchestra - sound is full-bodied,richly arranged,with muscular bluesy rhythm section. Interplay between band members are telepathic,they obviously enjoy their playing so all quite a long album sounds as one jazz fiesta (material is recorded live in France and live informal atmosphere adds a lot, on weak side recording's sound quality is only average).
So, Steve and Co. play his "Stamps" and "Wickets" and "The Dump",side-long "Clichés"(with "Cyrille Few and his friend"(?!)on percussion), "The Dump" again, but all same songs sound totally different played by this powerful band (often all this music sounds just like freer and more atonal and distorted. Lacy on soprano and unusual alto together with Lewis's trombone on front of sound demonstrate fantastic playful soloing anchored by more conservative rhythm section. Irene Aebi sings (in her specific classic-influenced manner) on few songs as well.Hour and half of very enthusiastic musicianship doesn't continue too long,one can hardly find even short boring moment here.
Reissued in 1999 on CD,original album lost part of its content (there was not enough place for two wholly filled vinyls on single CD),but generally became a bit more concentrated and better edited.Both versions are excellent place to start for everyone interested in Lacy's bigger bands music.