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Prince Lasha: The Cry!
BySonny Simmons calls the early 1960s “a time of tragedy. I am conscious of that when I play this.”
Lasha had played with Coleman in high school in high school in Ft. Worth, TX. Simmons had met Lasha in Oakland, CA in the early 1950s. Together they went to Ft Worth in the early 1960s, recording The Cry! in 1962. They were considered free players, like Coleman, although they ultimately evolved and went in different directions. Lasha went to Europe for some time, recorded, and returned to the East Bay where he made a fortune in real estate, although he never gave up music entirely. Simmons, who had been a bopper and a follower of Charlie Parker, went to New York, had considerable exposure and success, then returned to California, and fell apart. His story is distressingly familiar. Simmons ended up strung out and playing for change in San Francisco. He did not return to form until the 1990s but resumed playing and passed on in 2021.
It may well be that originality is not a strong point of the recording, but it is by no means just some pale imitation of Coleman. Simmons is a terrific player who exploits building tension and finding release in a solo about as well as anyone. This is especially true on tunes like "Bojangles" and "Red's Mood," where Simmons' interaction with Peacock is outstanding. On "Red's Mood," the entire vibe brings back some of Coleman's more dramatic entrances on "Tears Inside," an influence, but not simply an imitation. Bassist Gary Peacock is a revelation throughout, and since Gene Stone is largely keeping time on drums, a great deal of the creative imagination in the rhythm section is attributable to Peacock, sort of the unsung hero of the entire production.
Above all, The Cry! is a document from an era when some jazz musicians thought they might alter the social structure, seeking the musical freedom to do it. That is really what the music is about. In the liner notes, Simmons calls the early 1960s "a time of tragedy. I am conscious of that when I play this." Jazz is not the sound of surprise, but the sound of American history, whether or not much changes.
Track Listing
Congo Call, Bojangles, Green and Gold, Ghost of the Past, Red's Mood, Juanita, Lost Generation, A.Y.
Personnel
Prince Lasha
fluteSonny Simmons
saxophone, altoGary Peacock
bass, acousticMarc Proctor
bass, acousticGene Stone
drumsAlbum information
Title: The Cry! | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Craft Recordings
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