Steve Lacy Essentials

Steve Lacy Essentials

The soprano saxophone's great modernist mixed complexity and playfulness throughout his career. The blend is evident in Lacy's lighthearted version of Ellington's "Rockin' in Rhythm," in 1957, and Lacy grew progressively more puckish from there. "Monk's Mood" reflects his great debt to the pianist/composer's beautifully quirky melodic sense. While "Bone" finds Lacy agitatedly experimental in his longtime group with vocalist/cellist wife Irene Aebi, he exudes calm while stretching out during "The Peak (Live)," a long-form duet with pianist Mal Waldron.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada