Moon

by Scott YanowSoprano saxophonist Steve Lacy's first recording as a leader since moving to Europe (except for the obscure Roba from three months earlier) was originally cut for the Byg label before being reissued on an Affinity LP. Lacy was in Rome after being "stranded" in South America for quite a time. He had embraced many of the aspects of free jazz, and his interplay with the Italian musicians (trombonist Italo Toni, clarinetist Claudio Volonte, bassist Marcello Melie and drummer Jacques Thollot), as well as cellist Irene Aebi (who would soon become a permanent member of his groups), is intriguing, often dense and quite passionate. Lacy had not yet fully developed his more relaxed, scalar approach to improvising, but his playing is certainly quite distinctive and generally pretty lyrical during performances of five Lacy originals.