Devoted
Lacy
fans will recognize most of the vintage tunes from this collection of originals performed by this outstanding trio in which the soprano saxophonist is joined by then-regular collaborator bassist
Kent Carter
and Italian percussionist and organizer
Andrea Centazzo
. Originally released on LP as
Trio Live
, this reissue adds a couple of tracks that add immeasurably to the length and importance of
In Concert
. The year 1976 was a good one for
, who recorded some of his best albums, such as the hard to find solo recording
Hooky
and the captivating and seminal
Trickles
, the latter with
Roswell Rudd
on trombone and
Carter
once more on bass.
is in splendid form on
, as he takes advantage of extended solo space to mirror
in the ability to express himself seemingly effortlessly, even if he is more aggressive than usual. As with the saxophonist,
's rich tone and poised delivery make it sound so easy that his superb and highly disciplined, if modest, technical virtuosity might easily be overlooked. The superb sound quality magnifies the strength and breadth of the heads, which are stamped with the
nomenclature. What distinguishes the recording, though, is the sense of wonder, a rawness sometimes missing from
's more polished later works. From the first tune,
"Bone (Tao 3),"
the soprano saxophonist's bold voice pierces through the cloudlike layers emblazoned by drums and acoustic bass.
"Stalks"
is another treat, as the wildly squeaking, squawking
burns with unmitigated passion, while
Centazzo
stays the course. The percussionist plays a smaller role on this disc than on some of the others in which he performs with the soprano saxophonist, satisfied with a supportive though nonetheless important role. Overall, this is a solid outing and an important part of
's discography, notable for his exuberant, self-confident, upbeat, and consistently impressive playing. ~ Steven Loewy