Record date: December 10, 1982
In December 1982 Lacy and Waldron gave a performance at the old Bimhuis in Amsterdam. It was a very small, cozy but also little uncomfortable venue but lots of jazz giants performed there. It was also a bit like the homebase of musicians like Micha Mengelberg, Han Bennink etc. The music was recorded by Sjaak Willemse but not released until 2006. It was my first acquaintance with the duo music of Mal and Lacy and always remained my favorite. This really is one of my desert island discs.
The session starts with Lacy’s beautiful ‘Blues for Aida’ which has a very strange and cold atmosphere yet feels highly emotional. It has this desolate feel in, it’s difficult to describe. Lacy’s intensely cold sound on soprano also has strange very warm tone all at once and that is so clearly hearable on this ballad. His upper register squealing, where you could almost hear his breath going trough his horn, just hits you right to the bone. Then there’s ‘Snake Out’ in one of it’s most thrilling versions. Mal sets a very fast tempo and Lacy sometimes go with Mal but also improvises after en before the beat sealing constant interaction with Waldron’s nervous chord playing. It’s music that demands to listen to every single note that has been played. But nervous and hunted as it sound at first hand there comes a transition in the 6th minute where Mal changes the whole structure of the tune. The chords get darker and darker and Lacy starts talking trough his horn, squeaking than returning back to his regular playing again. Every minute is one full of fascination. Then there’s Mal’s bluesy solo hitting on the same Blue notes over and over again. He’s stamping his feet so hard on the Bimhuis floor you could actually hear it on record. From the more up tempo style he goes more into a ballad style where every note seems to be the right one. His piano sounds warm and full in sound. And then when it actually starts to sound a bit comfortable back is the theme again and Lacy’s back too.
Nobody plays like Lacy and Waldron combined. They start with a great version of ‘Reflections’ which shows a more gentle side of both of them. Mal is playing a little more virtuoso and Lacy is playing more between the lines yet still stepping out here and there. But it’s never boring as still a lot is happening in their playing. And just like Monk you could hear originality, creativity and humor all trough. The version of ‘Round Midnight is probably my all time favorite, by any artist. It again has that desolate almost depressing (in a good way?) feel. A deeply emotional version, almost spiritual. Like Lacy actually having a conversation with Mal trough their instruments. Just listen to the small break at 2:20. To me that is what music is all about.
Only one version is available of this great release. That is the 2006 cd version on the Dutch ‘Daybreak’ label. The sound quality is excellent and it’s still widely available. Highly recommended especially if the 4cd ‘Dreher’ set is perhaps a little big to start with. This one is probably a bit more accessible too. If you run into it, do not hesitate and buy it. Well, I would even dare to say: get yourself a copy!
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