Steve Lacy with Don Cherry - Evidence

This curiosity features two of the most underappreciated jazz thinkers of the modern era--soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and trumpeter Don Cherry (Carl Brown on bass and Billy Higgins on drums round out the quartet). Though both men are known for their more exploratory moments, Evidence, recorded in 1960, is a decidedly restrained affair. With the exception of Duke Ellington's "The Mystery Song" and Billy Strayhorn's "Something to Live For", the program here is composed entirely of Thelonious Monk material. While Lacy's work with Monk is well known, adding Cherry's judiciously round tone painting as counterpoint to Lacy's stabbing melodies gives this disc a finished quality that fans of either horn player will appreciate. Monk fanatics, of course, will devour this. --S. Duda Amazon.com

smooth stuff

This recording is a marvelously laid-back, positive experience, both Lacy and Cherry in fine form and interacting beautifully with each other. I know more about Cherry's work from this period than Lacy's, and that makes the disc very interesting for me, since Cherry's playing here is quite different from the exuberance he was exhibiting around the same time in his playing with Ornette; it's just as vibrant, but much mellower. He and Lacy enter an interesting, thoughtful space with each other. Lacy, too, is quite gentle, and while, of his Monk-oriented work, I prefer his recordings with Roswell Rudd -- this is a fine performance. Three of these cuts, note, are also available on the Giants of Jazz Don Cherry compilation, intermingled with tunes by Ornette. February 24, 2001

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