Steve Lacy's Japan Tours: 1975-2004

GILLES LAHEURTE,

Gilles Laheurte

since 2004

A humanist of many talents, some of his friends consider him as a contemporary Renaissance man...

Recent articles (4 total)

Published: February 15, 2006

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TOUR 8 - 1989

May 24: Sogetsu Kaikan (Tokyo)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
May 25: Imaike Gas Hall (Nagoya)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
May 27: Parco Hall (Osaka)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
May 29-30: Hotel Pacific Tokyo (Tokyo)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
May 31: Aoyama Cay (Tokyo)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
June 1: Nagano Kinro Fukushi Center (Nagano)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
June 2: Yokohamashi Kyoiku Bunka Center Hall (Yokohama)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
June 3: Space Who (Saitama)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson
June 4: Roppongi Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Sextet * with Irene Aebi, Steve Potts, Bobby Few, J.J. Avenel, Oliver Johnson

Comments: Amazingly, no official audio recording is known of Lacy's famous sextet during its only Japan tour in its 25 year+ existence! However, we are very grateful to J.J. Avenel for having confirmed the existence of a private videotape of the May 27 concert in Osaka, produced by "Totsu Planning. The search for private tapes—which for sure must exist at least in Japanese circles—and additional information goes on...

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TOUR 9 - 1992

May 12: Parthenon Tama Small Hall (Tokyo)* Duo & Quartet * duo with Togashi Masahiko, quartet with Steve Potts, Jean-Jacques Avenel, John Betsch
May 14: Agatanomori Bunka Kaikan (Matsumoto)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, Jean-Jacques Avenel, John Betsch
May 15: Yokohamashi Kyoiku Bunka Center Hall (Yokohama)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 16: Space Who (Saitama)* Duo * with Togashi Masahiko
May 17: Space Who (Saitama)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 19: Roppongi Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 20: Jazz in Lovely (Nagoya)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 21: Rag (Kyoto)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 22: Hiroshimani Minami Kumin Bunka Center Hall (Hiroshima)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, J.J. Avenel, John Betsch
May 23: Left Alone (Ashiya)* Quartet * with Steve Potts, Jean-Jacques Avenel, John Betsch
May 24: Roppongi Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Quartet * with Togashi Masahiko, J.J. Avenel, Satoh Masahiko
May 26: ST Spot (Yokohama)* Solo

Comments: Two tours (#9 and #10) during 1992, barely 6 months apart: a busy year in Japan for Steve Lacy! Yet, for this first tour, there are no album released and no known tapes...

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TOUR 10 - 1992

Oct. 28: Doshin Hall (Sapporo)* Quartet * with Togashi Masahiko, Mal Waldron, Jean-Jacques Avenel
Oct. 31: Casals Hall (Tokyo)* Quartet * with Togashi Masahiko, Mal Waldron, Jean-Jacques Avenel
Nov. 1: Space Who (Saitama)* Duo - CD13 * with Mal Waldron
Nov. 3: Sinanoya (Yokohama)* Trio * with Mal Waldron, Jean-Jacques Avenel
Nov. 5: Cat Walk (Akita)* [format unconfirmed]
Nov. 7: Left Alone (Kobe)* Quartet * with Togashi Masahiko, Mal Waldron, Jean-Jacques Avenel
Nov. 9: Jazz in Lovely (Nagoya)* Duo * with Mal Waldron

Comments: Even J.J. Avenel and the club contacted could not confirm the format of the Nov 5 gig... One thing is certain: JJA did not play that evening, so it was most likely a solo or a duo gig... The investigation continues...
The Space Who duo with Mal Waldron, Japan Dreams, was released in June 2004 to celebrate Steve's 13th Tour (unrealized).

CD13 : Japan Dream (Egg Farm)

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TOUR 11 - 1995

Sept. 3: Oguni Chomin Sogo Taiikukan (Yamagata)* Duo & Trio * with Wilfride Piollet, Daimon Shiro
Sept. 4: Aku Aku (Tsukuba)* Solo & Duo * with Hayashi Eiichi
Sept. 6: Shinjuku Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Duo * with Yamashita Yosuke
Sept. 7: Shinjuku Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Trio * with Togashi Masahiko, Satoh Masahiko
Sept. 8: Shinjuku Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Duo - CD14 * with Togashi Masahiko
Sept. 9: Shinjuku Pit Inn (Tokyo)* Duo * with Umezu Kazutoki
Sept. 10: Egg Farm (Saitama)* Solo - CD15 *
Sept. 11: ST Spot (Yokohama)* Solo

Comments: Here also, very little info has been found and is available about this 11th tour. Fortunately, we are blessed to have two relatively rare albums (Eternal Duo '95 and the especially hard to get Blues for Aida—a double CD set) that give a very good idea of the spirit of the moment.
It is not known whether the Sept 3 sessions with Wilfride Piollet and Daimon Shiro (dancers) were filmed.