Record date: May, 1972
Still staying in Paris, Mal recorded another session while he was there. Again he recorded with Steve Lacy. And just like there session of the year before: the music played is among the most avant-garde Waldron ever put on record. The guys went into the studio for the French ‘America’ label which put out dozens of brilliant free jazz records those days by Archie Shepp, Frank Wright, Clifford Thornton and many others. They really did a good job capturing the lively free jazz scene of those days in Paris.
The record starts with the only Waldron composition on the album: ‘Vio’. What is interesting is that it doesn’t sound like Waldron composition. And that is what makes this collaboration so good: Lacy really pushes Mal Waldron in different directions. Again the vamps and clusters he plays here sometimes show a little influence by Cecil Taylor, a pianist who Mal held in high regard. The music here is really leaving all conventional jazz patterns, although later in the song Mal does get back in his percussive chord playing. Lacy starts with a pretty freaky ‘out’ solo after which Mal takes over interacting with both McGhie and Carter. Then there’s Aebi…. I do not want to offend anybody but let’s say I am mostly glad she doesn’t start singing. Also her cello playing does not really move me. Steve Pott’s solo is pretty good: he goes totally out on Mal’s heavy vamp’s.
The other two compositions were written by Lacy. ‘Jump for Victor’ is immediately recognizable as such. It has that funny Lacy timing that is sometimes just out beat and then in it again. There’s definitely no rest here for the listener as the free journey continues. Mal is pretty much all over the place. He does a good job but still feels a bit uncomfortable here and there. I think there was a reason he did not return much to this kind of music. Both Lacy’s and Pott’s solo are very loud and intense again. Lacy always surprises me in playing so far out but sounding so much in. He truly was one of the very best soprano players ever.
The original ‘America’ LP is still available for a reasonable price. But this one was also released as part of the ‘Free America’ series by Verve France. These were limited edition cd’s and I always loved their packaging: they are truly a small piece of art. Also on that cd version, there are two bonus tracks, that are definitely worth checking out. Fascinating music but not for the faint hearted: this is not the kind of music you put on when you have your parents in law over for dinner. Or perhaps it is when you want them to leave soon. It’s a great record an essential hearing when listening to the developments made by the Waldron/Lacy combo. Yet I miss some emotion, feeling and interaction between the two. They have made better records.
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