Music Monday: Byard Lancaster
My buddy Kostis Kourelis tipped me off to a newly released Byard Lancaster compilation, The Complete Palm Recordings, 1973-1974, that brings together all of Lancaster’s recordings in 1973 and 1974 for the Palm Records label. Byard Lancaster is a tragically under-appreciate Philadelphia sax (and other woodwinds and reeds) player whose recordings have long been treasured by collectors but difficult to find in the digital realm. To be honest, I didn’t even know that he recorded a quartet of albums with the obscure French Palm label!
But they are fantastic and deserve a long listen. They capture Lancaster’s spectacular range from deeply cerebral (and edgy) loft-jazz to driving funk laced with hints of 1970s psychedelica.
The first album in the compilation is Us and it is all over the shop. The opening tracks offer pure 1970s improvisation and freedom while the second half of the album is more locked down funk-jazz. It’s a sampler for the rest of the compilation.
Mother Africa is sweeping, free, dynamic, and powerful. The African influences are limited mostly to some experimenting with percussion. The lyricism draws fully on early 1970s jazz tradition.
Exactement on which he shared billing of Keno Speller felt steeped in the tradition of post-Coltrane spiritual jazz filtered through the intensely creative loft scene. It’s particularly worth checking out Lancaster’s use of an “octavoice” on “Dr. Oliver W. Lancaster” from the album. It’s cool, if nothing else, and marks his continued eagerness to experiment:
Funny Funky Rib Crib did not appear until 1979, but was recorded at the same time as the rest of the music here. It is replete with the funky drive present on the B-side of Us. That alone should make this compilation a worthwhile purchase for party nights! Exactement and Mother Africa reward more serious and serene listening.
Apparently there are extensive liner notes. I’ve not read them because I’d rather just line to the tunes.
The four albums are challenging to find on the YouTubes, but here’s a bit of a sample. The first of the group, Us (1974), is available:
As is Exactement (1974) from the same year:
Funny Funk Rib Crib (1979) is available only in fragments, but you can get a sense for it from the two title tracks:
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