Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Frank Lacy: That Which Is Planted

2

Frank Lacy: That Which Is Planted

By

Sign in to view read count
Frank Lacy: That Which Is Planted
The real reason the revolution will not be televised (with apologies to Gil Scott-Heron) is that the sound of the revolution is free jazz. While those street fighting men are satisfied to throw rock music up against the wall, the real uprising is music of bands like 1032K. With roots in the streets and lofts of the 1960s and 70s, trombonist/trumpeter Ku-umba Frank Lacy, bassist Kevin Ray, and drummer Andrew Drury interpret the sounds of Sam Rivers, Roswell Rudd, Henry Threadgill, and Jimi Hendrix.

Their method is best encapsulated in the opening track "Ghosts" by Albert Ayler. A song so simple children dance to it, the anthem is all-at-once a throwback to the brass bands of New Orleans, a nursery rhyme, and coup d'état of avant-garde sound. Lacy doubles his signature talking/singing trombone with his flumpet, a combination trumpet and flugelhorn. The trio's interpretation mines the Ayler tune for its gospel roots and unremitting exuberance.

Lacy's playing, be it with Art Blakey, Julius Hemphill, or as the face of the Mingus Big Band, is always passionate and fevered. Together with Drury, who can be heard with the likes of Chris Speed, Myra Melford, and Ingrid Laubrock and bassist Ray, a student of Andrew Hill, the music becomes gospel. They cover Charles Mingus' "Ecclusiastics" with Lacy's spoken word intro taken from the Bible. Not only does he preach the word, he plays with an evangelical touch. The music links the Sanctified Church with the New Thing in jazz, a movement often mischaracterized as seditious. 1032K's covers, like those of Threadgill's Latin-themes, "Midnight Sun" and Steve McCall's "BK," actually draw the sound of revolution back into the clubs and dance halls. Drury's extended drum technique fits nicely into the program, with Ray providing a rock-solid pulse. Lacy's passion is on full display here. Let's hope there is more to come.

Track Listing

Ghosts; Give It Some Thought; Ecclusiastics Intro.; Ecclusiastics; BK; Midnight Sun.

Personnel

Frank Lacy
trombone

Ku-umba Frank Lacy: trombone, flumpet, voice, percussion; Kevin Ray: bass; Andrew Drury: drums, percussion.

Album information

Title: That Which Is Planted | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Passin' Thru Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.