Billboard : 02/24/1958
Two stars

The soprano sax sound, a relative rarity on the contemporary jazz scene, is the feature here. Practitioner Lacy turns the horn in a modern direction and creates uncluttered, rhythmically alive improvisations. Tho promising, he obviously needs time to further shape his resources. Novelty of soprano sax as a modern voice is a strong sales point, and could help move set.

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High Fidelity
John S. Wilson : April, 1958

Lacy, the first soprano saxophonist in the modern jazz idiom, plays in a smooth, mocha-toned style that carries suggestions of Sidney Bechet’s soaring quality on this instrument but without Bechet’s overripe vibrato. Lacy’s lithe, flowing lines are frequently effective, but it is asking a lot for this relatively limited instrument to carry two sides of an LP almost by itself (pianist Wynton Kelly steps in for an occasional ruminative solo). Lacy’s playing on this disc suggests that his approach to the soprano saxophone might provide an interesting accent in a more varied context.

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Metronome
Bill Coss : April, 1958

Steve Lacy has only been playing since 1951. In the Summer of 1953, he was being billed as The Bechet of Today, although Sidney’s part in his development consisted mainly in interesting him in the sound of the soprano sax. Most of his playing in the recent past has been with the Cecil Taylor group, two of whose members (Buell and Dennis) are with him on this record. But work has not been too plentiful; Steve works day jobs most of the time. The haunting sound of his instrument puts him immediately into the different class, of course, but within the mostly mainstream course which he and his group follow, there is a particular and personal strength which doesn’t negate sensitivity and there is, generally, a comfortable selectivity in his playing; all of which things speak well for his playing of today and promise much for the future. Some enterprising club owner should take him in hand for promotional building.

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Down Beat : 04/17/1958
Dom Cerulli : 3.5 stars

Lacy is the young (23) soprano saxist who first came to light with the fine Cecil Taylor group (along with colleagues Charles and Neidlinger). The initial impact of hearing modern blowing on a soprano sax was somewhat like that of discovering an instrument new to Jazz.

In Lacy’s hands, the Bechet vibrato is smoothed to a sound more in keeping with today’s idiom. The conception is his own.

To me, the basic weakness of this set, if it can be called that, is the lack of at least another horn, to be heard with Lacy. By himself, he stands alone well as a developing voice on a somewhat limited instrument. Without doubt, after this LP circulates a bit, his name should be popping up on the miscellaneous category in the polls.

There’s a lot to be done with the soprano, and Lacy seems the one to do it. Listen to the way he mixes its languid sound on ballads (Day Dream) to the way he uses it almost as a brass instrument on the peppier tracks (Rockin’ in Rhythm).

And listen, too, to Kelly, a supporting voice of superior quality. A good first outing.

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Liner notes by Ira Gitler

Not only is Steve Lacy unique because he is playing modern jazz on the soprano saxophone but because in the space of six years he has evolved within the jazz tradition from Sidney Bechet to Sonny Rollins. In neither case, choice of instrument or development on same, was there anything forced or unnatural. As Steve puts it, I “I didn’t take it (the soprano) up as a gimmick and since I’ve always played it, I saw no reason to change. As my ear improved and my taste broadened I began to see its possibilities in modern jazz.”

Although Steve, born in New York in 1934, received the usual childhood piano lessons, his real career was not launched until a lonely New Year’s Eve when he picked up a “beat up” clarinet that his cousin had left behind, years before, and blew it while leaning out the window. It wasn’t important if anyone heard this cry in the night because Steve himself heard it.

He had been interested in jazz from 1949 through listening to Art Tatum but it was in 1951, the new year which followed the New Year’s Eve that he seriously took up the clarinet by studying with veteran jazzman Cecil Scott whom he had met by hanging around the sessions at the Central Plaza and Stuyvesant Casino. It was at this time he heard Sidney Bechet’s record of The Mooche, fell in love with the soprano and bought one soon thereafter.

Young Lacy was not lacking in nerve and would travel around the city, sitting in either with Scott on Cecil’s gigs or with Red Allen at Low Terrasi’s or intermission pianist Don Frye at Jimmy Ryan’s.

In 1953, Steve went to Boston where he spent a semester and a half at Schillinger House. He had to buy an alto to enter the school as they wouldn’t accept him as a soprano student. He was considered somewhat of a curiosity due to his being the only soprano saxophonist and Dixieland musician there. It was while in Boston that he bought his first records by Lester Young and Charlie Parker, he dug Pres but didn’t care for Bird and only bought his records to be able to talk about him to the modernists at the school. Steve was also delving further back into the Swing Era and appreciating musicians like Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins and Bill Coleman.

During the summer Steve returned to New York in order to finish high school via one course. He joined local 802 and become a regular member of the Stuyvesant Casino weekend sessions billed as “The Bechet of Today” although the most important part Bechet had in his playing was only in getting him interested in the soprano and not in shaping his style. Some of the musicians with whom Steve appeared in 1953-54 were much admired by him. They included Buck Clayton, Jimmy Rushing, Dicky Wells, Walter Page, Pee Wee Russell, Rex Stewart and Joe Sullivan.

In the same period, Lacy had a few small groups of his own. One included a one-armed piano player another five-piecer was a winner on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts and was featured on the redhead’s morning show for a week. None of Godfrey’s other promises were carried out and Steve left with on opinion shared by many others.

Then an important meeting eventually had a profound effect on Locy. It was with pianist Cecil Taylor. They both dug Ellington and this was the common ground on which they started their musical relationship. Taylor was most influential in getting Steve to listen to a wider variety of jazz and classical music and also to realize that there were other arts and facets of living that would help him as a jazzman.

The next few years found him closely allied with Taylor. In 1955 they played at a summer resort together and in 1957, the Taylor quartet featuring Lacy opened the festivities of the Five Spot when the most productive of New York’s jazz clubs began its career as a home of modern music. Later that year the audience of the Newport Jazz Festival heard the quartet in an effective set.

The gigs, however, have not been plentiful and Steve, instead of prostituting his art, has “gone out and broken stones” as Frank Lloyd Wright would put it. In the past few years he has held various day jobs as a clerk in book and record stores.

When he is not playing. Steve enjoys reading and looking at paintings. His taste encompasses many authors and painters but the names Thomas Mann and Paul Klee were prominent in our conversation. His favorite musicians include Armstrong, Ellington, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Parker, Miles Davis, Monk, Johnny Hodges (on alto and soprono), Sonny Rollins, Milt Jackson and Art Blakey.

Two of his confreres in this recording were with Steve in Cecil Taylor’s quarter.

Drummer Dennis Charles is from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands where he was born in 1933. He came to the United States at the age of eleven and later played with various calypso and rock ‘n roll groups in New York. Cecil found him at a session and he was soon part of the group. Dennis, who digs Art Blakey, is a musical drummer, “one who hears rhythm os music,” Steve says. From his seat, a bit higher than most drummers sit, he listens attentively and responds with the fervor of his whole body.

Buell Neidlinger, born in Westport, Connecticut in 1936, was originally a cellist but took up bass at Yale in 1952 and began appearing with various college bands. Steve met him at a Yale Dixieland reunion. Buell come to New York in 1955 and worked various society-band and Dixieland gigs but went through a metamorphosis when Steve played some Jimmy Blanton and Ray Brown records for him. He now lists Percy Heath and Wilbur Ware with the first two as his favorite bassist and his playing reflects his new outlook.

Wynton Kelly is, like Dennis Charles, from the West Indies. He was born in Jamaica, British West Indies in 1931 and came to the United States at the age of four. Raised in Brooklyn, Wynton began working very young and was with the combos of tenor men Ray Abrams, Hal Singer and Eddie Davis at various times in the Forties. He then was accompanist to Dinah Washington for three years and also played with Dizzy Gillespie’s combo. After two years in the Army (1952-54) he returned to the New York jazz scene and was heard with Gillespie’s big band in 1957. Wynton’s favorites are Art Tatum, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk.

Locy’s choice of material is diverse and very indicative of his rich, varied background in jazz.

Billy Strayhorn’s Day Dream was Johnny Hodges’ vehicle with the Ellington band. Steve handles it with sensitive strength. His sound is singular and at times approximates an English horn or oboe. His style is spare with sustained tones, strong interest in rhythmic patterns without neglecting the harmonie nuances. Although Steve will play long phrases, he does not show an affinity for multiple double time runs. Wynton who solos here, too, reflects his Powell influence most prominently but through his own looking glass.

Steve takes Alone Together at medium tempo and lends his haunting sound to the haunting melody. Neidlinger has a walking chorus, Steve plays again and Kelly’s solo precedes a third Lacy entrance.

Thelonious Monk’s Work is heard for the first time since Monk recorded it (Prestige 7075). Everyone is heard in solo on this with Steve at beginning and end. There is a wonderful group swing here.

Rockin’ In Rhythm, the Duke Ellington Harry Carney tune which opens side B, is a swinger of another sort. Parts of the original arrangement are incorporated and Buell and Wynton solo in addition to Steve.

The calypso, Little Girl Your Daddy Is Calling You, was chosen by Steve te feature the urbanised Islanders. The leader is heard only in stating the melody as Kelly and Charles are the soloists.

Steve stretches out beautifully on Easy To Love. The influence of Sonny Rollins is strong here. Wynton has a solo and Buell plays one before Steve returns to soar on out.

Steve, in addition to speaking eloquently on his horn, contributes some interesting verbal comments. Lacy on jazz reads this way: “Jazz is unique because you are watching the process of creation… actually watching someone think in front of you and communicating with his fellow beings.”

Steve, who feels that more modesty should be forthcoming from musicians, says, “I’ve got a long way to go.”

I agree with him but the “long way to go” to me is the long tenure he will have in jazz if he and the fates are willing.