Rabble Without A Cause
Wednesday September 11th, 2013 with Bernard Stepien
Steve Lacy & Joelle Leandre

After the gentle onslaught of hyper-intensive improvisations by Toronto guitarist Ken Aldcroft and New York bassist William Parker last night at the IMOO series at the Pressed bar, we need to fight potential withdrawal symptoms using an equally charged duo. This time Soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and French bassist Joëlle Léandre with whom William Parker has as a matter of fact engaged in bass vs bass duos in the past anyway not to mention the link between Lacy and Parker via pianist Cecil Taylor. Steve Lacy has developed a very personal style over the years that had its roots in Thelonious Monk’s deceptively simple contraptions that he uses to stack up catchy ideas upon catchy ideas. Joëlle Léandre combines a virtuosity that lands her classical bookings that make her phone ring off the hook with opera singing and theatrical penchant that make any of her performances a total art happening. Both played a gig together in 2002 that was recorded and released years later that will be featured tonight. Lacy made even fun of this time lag by adding a voice mail message to Léandre on this CD. A rare moment of intimacy that shows how improvised music makes it through sometimes despite all odds…