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Mal Waldron / Steve Lacy: The Mighty Warriors

By Karl Ackermann
April 9, 2024
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Mal Waldron

piano
1925 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Mal Waldron and

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Lacy first played together in 1958 at the Bowery neighborhood's Five Spot. Their association was long, if not necessarily prolific on record. Though their personal styles contrasted, they frequently existed in a parallel universe. Both expatriates lived in Paris, were predisposed to the avant-garde, and shared a deep appreciation for

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's music. They performed and recorded until 2002 when Waldron died. Barcelona-based Elemental Music Records acquired the previously unreleased recordings of Lacy and Waldron from a 1995 performance in Antwerp, Belgium. In a quartet featuring bassist

Reggie Workman

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Reggie Workman and drummer

Andrew Cyrille

drums
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Cyrille, the double-disc album The Mighty Warriors is Waldron and Lacy at their best.

The Harlem-born Waldron worked downtown at Caf�� Society in the early '50s and went on to record on several

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus recordings including Pithecanthropus Erectus (Atlantic), Jazz Composers Workshop (Savoy Records), and Mingus At The Bohemia (Debut Records), all released in 1956. Waldron was intimidated by Mingus and uncomfortable with the bassist's composing style, but the experience was creatively rewarding. His first leader date, Mal/1 (Prestige Records, 1956) was followed in 1957 by Mal/2 with

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane,

Jackie McLean

saxophone, alto
1932 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">Jackie McLean, and

Sahib Shihab

woodwinds
1925 - 1989

" data-original-title="" title="">Sahib Shihab on the same label. Waldron was a top pianist of his generation but often a solitary figure. When he moved to Europe, his talent was somewhat overlooked in the U.S.A.. He recorded various styles of music, from classical to jazz and film scores, and was considered a promising saxophonist until switching to piano in college.

Lacy was raised on Dixieland music, playing professionally with the likes of

Pee Wee Russell

clarinet
1906 - 1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Pee Wee Russell and

Zutty Singleton

drums
1898 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Zutty Singleton while still in his teens. His eclectic and deep catalog includes an esoteric mix of styles and genre-defying releases. He recorded with

The Rolling Stones

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">The Rolling Stones drummer

Charlie Watts

drums
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Watts, issued Remains (hat ART, 1992) a solo soprano feat of improvisation, and recorded dark poetry on Packet (Naxos, 1995). His unique music is puzzling—experimental jazz and free playing but characteristically melodic and organized. He remains the most influential of soprano saxophonists.

Waldron's composition, "What It Is?," on fire for more than seventeen minutes, is a sufficient introduction for all-around extended solos. Still, the piece belongs to Waldron. Turning quickly to Monk's "Epistrophy" Lacy and Waldron hypnotically swing in their exploratory way. Lacy's mid-tempo and repetitious "Longing" takes too long to get nowhere but Monk comes to the rescue again with a rousing "Monk's Dream." The second disc contains two twenty-five-minute pieces. Opening with Workman's "Variations of III," it is a bit of a slog—part-time free improvisation, tentative phrases here and there, and finally, some progressive Dixieland. The closing piece, "Medley: Snake Out / Variations On a Theme by

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor" brings the performance full circle in an inspiring, high-energy conclusion.

Whenever Lacy and Waldron performed together, no matter how energized the concert, the music was poetically responsive. The improvisations remain free and loose in spirit even when they are more systematized. The Mighty Warriors will be issued as a limited edition 2-LP set, followed by a 2-CD format.

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Track Listing

CD 1:
What It Is; Epistrophy; Longing; Monk's Dream.
CD 2:
Variation of III; On a Theme by Cecil Taylor.

Personnel

Mal Waldron

piano

Steve Lacy

saxophone, soprano

Reggie Workman

bass

Andrew Cyrille

drums

Album information

Title: The Mighty Warriors | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Elemental Music

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