Steve Lacy Trio - Bye-Ya (1996)

"For me, the trio format is a classic one, an opportunity to enjoy, and a challenge to take it further. We three have played a lot together and the studio was excellent. The overall theme is "parting", perhaps because I've lost quite a few friends in the last few years, but also because I've left Paris for a while, after 25 years.

Three of my musical heroes were saxophonists:

John Gilmore, for whom I wrote The Hoot, was the extraordinary soloist with Sun Ra's band, able to take chances and score melodically, in the most far-out circumstances.
Charlie Rouse inspired Prayer. Playing with him in Monk's band was one of my most cherished experiences.

The Bath is a portrait of Dexter Gordon, with his huge tone and joyous swing.
Absence is dedicated to poet Franco Beltrametti, a dear friend of all of us, departed last summer. Irene sings the words that Tom Raworth wrote in August 1995 at Franco's funeral.
The words of Regret are by Paul Potts:

My dreams

Watching me said

One to the other

This life has let us down

The song is meant for Johnny Dyani, the great bassist from South Africa. We played together in the 60s, another early death. Jean-Jacques Avenel made the piece Pi-Pande in memory of the young guitarrist, Lionel Benhamou, who died not long ago. Longing is a recent song of words by Fernando Pessoa, and Bookioni is something I took from Oliver Johnson. One of the two Monk's tunes, Trinkle Tinkle is saying hello, and Bye-Ya, well, what do you think?"

Steve Lacy

1. The Hoot (Lacy)
2. Bye-Ya (Monk)
3. Longing (Lacy)
4. The Bath (Lacy)
5. Pi-Pande (Avenel)
6. Regret (Lacy/Potts)
7. Prayer (Lacy)
8. Trinkle Tinkle (Monk)
9. Absence (Lacy/Raworth)
10. Bookioni (Lacy)

Steve Lacy: soprano sax
Jean-Jacques Avenel: bass, kora (on #5)
John Betsch: drums
Irene Aebi: vocals (on #6 and #9)

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