Song:San Francisco Holiday
Album:Four Classic Albums
Steve Lacy is one of the all time greats of the soprano sax. His early albums from the late 50s are essential listening. He may have been the first post bop soprano sax player. Because he lived most of his life in Europe he isn't as well known in the US as he should be. He was born Steven Lackritz July 23, 1934 in New York City. Of course his hero growing up was the legendary Sidney Bechet. So it's not surprising that as a teen Lacy played Dixieland jazz with guys like Henry "Red" Allen, Pee Wee Russell and Buck Clayton. But then Lacy took a sharp turn to avant garde when he played on pianist Cecil Taylor's 1956 debut album Jazz Advance. And he also appeared with Taylor at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. Lacy also appeared on a couple of Gil Evans albums. Lacy signed with Prestige Records and his debut album as a leader Soprano Sax was released in 1957. San Francisco Holiday is from the 1961 album Evidence released on Prestige's New Jazz label. Lacy was a big Thelonious Monk fan and Evidence was one of several Lacy albums to feature mostly Monk compositions. The album features trumpeter Don Cherry who at the time was in Ornette Coleman's band. Carl Brown is on bass and Billy Higgins is on drums. The album is available on CD. But Avid has released Lacy's first four albums on 2CDs. So that's what I suggest. Lacy moved to Europe in 1965. He lived with his wife singer violinist Irene Aebi in Paris after moving there in 1970. And they toured and recorded with his band. Lacy returned to the US in 2002. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. He continued to perform and teach until he died on June 4, 2004 at age 69. Here's a video for San Francisco Holiday by Steve Lacy.
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