Steve Lacy
Photo: Lioneldecoster, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saxophonists · 1934–2004

Steve Lacy

American jazz musician (1934–2004)

Born
23 July 1934
New York City
Died
4 June 2004
Boston
Country
United States
Record labels
Candid Records, ESP-Disk, BYG Records
Discography
113 albums

Biography

Steve Lacy was a jazz musician who played saxophone and soprano saxophone. Steve Lacy was born on 23 July 1934 in New York City and died on 4 June 2004 in Boston. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Candid Records, ESP-Disk and BYG Records. The discography here lists 113 albums, from “Soprano Sax” (1958) to “October Wind Vol. 2” (2015). Honours include MacArthur Fellows Program (1992) and Guggenheim Fellowship.

Steve Lacy (born Steven Norman Lackritz; July 23, 1934 – June 4, 2004) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone. Coming to prominence in the 1950s as a progressive dixieland musician, Lacy went on to a long and prolific career. He worked extensively in experimental jazz and to a lesser extent in free improvisation, but Lacy's music was typically melodic and tightly-structured. Lacy also became a highly distinctive composer, with compositions often built out of little more than a single questioning phrase, repeated several times. The music of Thelonious Monk became a permanent part of Lacy's repertoire after a stint in the pianist's band, with Monk's works appearing on virtually every Lacy album and concert program; Lacy often partnered with trombonist Roswell Rudd in exploring Monk's work.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Soprano Sax 1958
Reflections: Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk 1959
The Straight Horn of Steve Lacy 1960
Evidence 1962
Disposability 1966
Sortie 1966
The Forest and the Zoo 1966 · Live
Epistrophy 1969
Lapis 1971
Moon 1971
Wordless 1971 · Live
Estilhaços 1972 · Live
The Gap 1972
Solo - Théâtre Du Chêne Noir 1974 · Live
Dreams 1975
Lumps 1975
Saxophone Special + 1975
School Days - A 1963 Live Session Released for the First Time 1975 · Live
Solo at Mandara 1975 · Live
Stalks 1975
The Crust 1975 · Live
Clangs 1976 · Live
Distant Voices 1976
Stabs - Solo in Berlin 1976 · Live
Trickles 1976
Axieme Vol. 1 1977 · Live
Axieme Vol. 2 1977 · Live
One‐Upmanship 1977
Raps 1977
Shots 1977
Sidelines 1977
Straws 1977
Threads 1977
Trio Live 1977 · Live
Catch 1978
Clinkers 1978 · Live
Points 1978
Crops & The Woe 1979 · Live
Duet 1979 · Live
Eronel 1979
High, Low And Order 1979 · Live
Stamps 1979 · Live
Torments - Solo In Kyoto - 1979 · Live
Call Notes 1980
Capers 1981 · Live
Songs 1981
Tips 1981
Ballets 1982
Snake-out 1982 · Live
The Flame 1982
Herbe de l'oubli 1983 · Live
エターナル・デュオ 1983
The Wasp - Duo Live 1984 · Live
(Solo) 1986 · Live
Chirps 1986 · Live
Outings 1986
Explorations 1987
Live at Sweet Basil 1987 · Live
Momentum 1987
Only Monk 1987
The Kiss 1987
Live In Budapest 1988 · Live
Image 1989 · Live
Morning Joy 1989 · Live
The Door 1989
Anthem 1990
Flim Flam 1991
Hot House 1991
More Monk 1991
Rushes - 10 Songs From Russia 1991
Trochus 1991
Remains 1992
Spirit of Mingus 1992
トワイライト 1992
Let's Call This.... Esteem 1993 · Live
Findings 1994
Sweet Sixteen 1994
Actuality 1995 · Live
Packet 1995
The Rendezvous 1995
Weal & Woe 1995
Blues for Aida 1996 · Live
Eternal Duo '95 1996 · Live
Five Facings 1996 · Live
I Remember Thelonious 1996
5 X Monk, 5 X Lacy 1997
Communiqué 1997
Sands 1998
Solo: Live at Unity Temple 1998 · Live
Outcome 1999 · Live
The Joan Mirò Foundation Concert 1999 · Live
Hooky 2000 · Live
Monk's Dream 2000
Snips: Live at Environ 2000 · Live
Best Wishes: Live at the Labirinti Sonori Festival 2001 2001 · Live
Dummy 2002
Work 2002
The Beat Suite 2003
Lift the Bandstand 2004
One More Time 2005 · Live
At the Bimhuis 1982 2006 · Live
New Jazz Meeting Baden-Baden 2002 2006
Tao 2006
Early and Late 2007
Live in Berlin 2007 · Live
Hocus Pocus - Book 'H' of "Practitioners" 2008
November 2010 · Live
In Berlin 2011
Lost in June 2012 · Live
The Rest 2013 · Live
アピス~レイシー・富樫・佐藤・ライブ・アット・エッグファーム 2000 2013 · Live
October Wind Vol. 1 2015 · Live
October Wind Vol. 2 2015 · Live

Also plays on

Albums where Steve Lacy is credited as a sideman

1963 Quiet Nights — Miles Davis soprano saxophone

Analysed solos by Steve Lacy

  • Alone Togethersoprano saxophone · 135 BPM · D-maj · 1957-11-01
  • Easy to Lovesoprano saxophone · 166 BPM · G-maj · 1957-11-01
  • Worksoprano saxophone · 166 BPM · · 1957-11-01
  • Ask Me Nowsoprano saxophone · 85 BPM · Db-maj · 1958-10-17
  • Skippysoprano saxophone · 267 BPM · Ab-maj · 1958-10-17
  • Let's Cool Onesoprano saxophone · 132 BPM · Eb-maj · 1961-11-14

Awards

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Steve Lacy play?

Steve Lacy is known for playing saxophone and soprano saxophone.

When and where was Steve Lacy born?

Steve Lacy was born 23 July 1934 in New York City.

What are Steve Lacy's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Soprano Sax (1958), Reflections: Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk (1959), The Straight Horn of Steve Lacy (1960), Evidence (1962) and Disposability (1966).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.