Steve Lacy

This is a very special work for all Portuguese jazz fans, not only because of historical reasons, but also emotional ones. At the end of the dictatorship, “Estilhaços” had the emblematic power to represent freedom in music: it was recorded live during a Lisbon concert in the beginning of 1972 (the revolution happened two years later, in 1974), being the first jazz record released in Portugal. What can seem strange is easily explainable: for the authorities, jazz was a decadent black music. An iniciative of the radialist and critic José Duarte, produced by the former jazz drummer and also critic Manuel Jorge Veloso, it shows us the Steve Lacy Quintet, with Steve Potts, Irene Aebi, Kent Carter and Noel McGhie, at the top of its qualities. The original vinyl had only one CD reedition before, in 1996, but an opportunity to be distributed worldwide never aroused. Justice is now provided. For the non-Portuguese Lacy’s followers, this 40 year old recording may be another reminder of a well-documented period of the soprano saxophonist’s music, but take in consideration that it’s also an unique and very special symbol.

PERSONNEL:

STEVE LACY, soprano sax
STEVE POTS, alto sax
IRENE AEBI, cello
KENT CARTER, bass
NOEL McGHIE, drums