# Steve Lacy with Don Cherry, “Evidence”: Evidence is a unique and fabulous one-off featuring four tunes: Video, Photos

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2022/11/15/steve-lacy-with-don-cherry-evidence-evidence-is-a-unique-and-fabulous-one-off-featuring-four-tunes-video-photos/
- Published: 2022-11-15T00:02:31+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**A few years ago, “Don Cherry” started trending on Twitter occasionally thanks 
to Canadian ice hockey. These days, “Steve Lacy” is trending with some frequency,
especially after the guitarist destroyed a fan’s phone onstage.**

For me, Lacy and Cherry together will always mean the November 1961 studio session
with Carl Brown and Billy Higgins. _Evidence_ is a unique and fabulous one-off featuring
four tunes from Thelonious Monk and two from Ellington/Strayhorn. Cherry and Higgins
were Ornette Coleman associates, while both Lacy and Higgins had played with Monk,
and the melodic/creative feeling of the session is really a gorgeous cross between
Ornette and Monk — with just a dash of Ellington. Perfection.

The mysterious Carl Brown holds his own in elevated company. Some have suggested
that Brown is actually Charlie Haden, Buell Neidlinger, or someone else with a more
familiar name. This is not true. Carl Brown split the scene shortly after this date,
but for a moment he was a respected NYC bassist, and he sure sounds good on this
session.

**“The Mystery Song” **One wonders just how Lacy dug up this novelty number from
1931, for in 1961 Ellington studies were still in their infancy, with only a few
early 78s re-issued on LP at that time. Ellington probably wrote “The Mystery Song”
for a revue or some such while still appearing nightly at the Cotton Club. Lacy 
slows down the tempo and wisely cuts the “B” theme.

Ellington’s original is quite thick harmonically. What exactly are the chord changes
for this updated version? Neither Lacy nor Cherry are too worried about that topic,
beginning with stark octaves or minor seconds in the theme. These two true melodic
geniuses wind a secret path while blowing.

The soprano saxophonist would keep on returning to the idea of Ellington’s “jungle
music” for the rest of his career, but this track would remain one the best examples
of this kind of Lacy-helmed “exotic groove.” Billy Higgins is so damn swinging, 
with his left hand holding a mallet to start.

Listening with headphones, I caught a slightly awkward edit going into the head 
out. Doesn’t matter. “The Mystery Song” remains one of the great opening tracks 
to a jazz LP.

![The Apostle of Now-ness | Adam Shatz | The New York Review of Books](https://i0.
wp.com/www.nybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/shatz_1-060619.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

**“Evidence” **The horn players drastically simplify Monk’s complicated rhythms 
in the theme. Some might dock them points for this “cheat,” although, to be fair,
Monk never played “Evidence” this fast, and the straight hemiola used by Lacy/Cherry
does work well. With Cherry and Higgins talking at this quicker pace, the music 
really starts to sound like Ornette’s band. The horn players improvise on the changes
of “Evidence” but it’s wide open in feeling. In terms of where they were at in 1961,
I’ve never heard Cherry nor Lacy sound better than their solos on “Evidence.” Pure
magic.

OMG there’s an edit into the out head on this one too. Never noticed before. Some
digital transfers are notably unkind to the tape era…

**“Let’s Cool One”** Drum breaks for Higgins in the slightly square theme. (I’ve
[written before,](https://ethaniverson.com/thelonious-sphere-monk-centennial-primary-and-secondary-documents/)“
Although he didn’t say so, I remain convinced Monk is making fun of the West Coast
cool school with a supremely un-syncopated melody.”) Cherry is very bluesy in his
gorgeous and extended solo. Lacy sometimes comments behind Cherry, which works well
in this piano-less context. This date offers an especially fine display of Higgins’s
left hand. Billy Hart told me that Elvin Jones and Billy Higgins share something
in conception, and in the strut of “Let’s Cool One” I can dig what Hart is saying.

I always listened to the first side of the LP. The second side is also beautiful,
but those first three tunes above are about as good as it gets.

**“San Francisco Holiday”** In 1961 this composition was brand new, and today it
remains a lesser-played Monk tune. The inner-moving line is good for two horns. 
Great drum solo.

**“Something To Live For”** Don Cherry sits this one out. Billy Strayhorn’s ballad
features sustained dramatic color tones in the melody and uneven phrasing in the
form, factors that make it difficult to play well without supporting harmony. Cherry
played piano in somewhat Monkish fashion…too bad he didn’t comp a few salty chords
on the studio instrument for this one.

**“Who Knows**” Fast and amusing melody. Monk only recorded it once in the early
years, in a blur of inaccurate horns: The title almost seems to mean, “Who Knows
What These Notes Are.” In this rendition the connection to Ornette couldn’t be more
clear. The tempo might be a shade quick for Lacy to play eighth notes; Cherry sounds
more confident with his intentionally loose cornet ramble. The horn trades are fun
and the spirits are high, with Higgins getting an appropriate concluding flourish.

![Steve Lacy with Don Cherry – Evidence (1982, Vinyl) - Discogs](https://i0.wp.com/
i.discogs.com/5bHVgXt3Wl45Pne4OlpVlJ1lXgWEvd15HJtP2lEQAVI/rs%3Afit/g%3Asm/q%3A90/
h%3A600/w%3A594/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIyMTAx/NTM1LTE2NDQ4NzEy/
MTItMzAzNy5qcGVn.jpeg?resize=640%2C645&ssl=1)

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