Steve Lacy was an American jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone. Coming to prominence in the 1950s as a progressive dixieland musician, Lacy went on to a long and prolific career. He worked extensively in experimental jazz and to a lesser extent in free improvisation, but Lacy's music was typically melodic and tightly-structured. Lacy also became a highly distinctive composer, with compositions often built out of little more than a single questioning phrase, repeated several times.
Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Waldron led his own bands and played for those led by Charles Mingus, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, and Eric Dolphy, among others. During Waldron's period as house pianist for Prestige Records in the late 1950s, he appeared on dozens of albums and composed for many of them, including writing his most famous song, "Soul Eyes", for Coltrane. Waldron was often an accompanist for vocalists, and was Billie Holiday's regular accompanist from April 1957 until her death in July 1959.
Arthur S. Taylor Jr. was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".
Jim Gilbert Pepper II was a jazz saxophonist, composer and singer of Kaw and Muscogee Creek Native American heritage. He moved to New York City in 1964, where he came to prominence in the late 1960s as a member of The Free Spirits, an early jazz-rock fusion group that also featured Larry Coryell and Bob Moses. Pepper went on to have a lengthy career in jazz, recording almost a dozen albums as a bandleader and many more as featured soloist. Pepper and Joe Lovano played tenor sax alongside each other in a band led by drummer Paul Motian, recording three LPs in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Motian described Pepper's playing as "post-Coltrane". Don Cherry was among those who encouraged Pepper to bring more of his Native culture into his music, and the two collaborated extensively. Pepper died of lymphoma aged 50.
George Mraz was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephane Grappelli, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, John Scofield, and Richie Beirach, among others.
Edwin Gunther Schuller is an American jazz bassist and composer. His father is Gunther Schuller, a composer, horn player, and music professor, and his younger brother is drummer George Schuller.
John Betsch is an American jazz drummer.
Makaya Ntshoko is a South African drummer.
Marty Cook is an American jazz trombonist.
Reflections is the second album by Steve Lacy which was released on the Prestige label in 1959. It features performances of Thelonious Monk's compositions by Lacy, Mal Waldron, Buell Neidlinger and Elvin Jones.
Sweet Basil was a jazz club in New York City's Greenwich Village, located at 88 Seventh Avenue South. Founded in 1974 by Sharif Esmat, it was considered among the most prominent New York City jazz clubs of its day. Many jazz albums were recorded live at Sweet Basil, including Cecil Taylor's Iwontunwonsi, McCoy Tyner's Live at Sweet Basil (1989) and Solar: Live at Sweet Basil, and the Jean-Michel Pilc Trio's Together: Live at Sweet Basil. From 1981 to 1992, the club was owned by Phyllis Litoff and her husband Mel Litoff.
Allen Blairman was an American jazz drummer best known for his performing and recording with Albert Ayler and Mal Waldron.
Hard Talk is a live album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron recorded in 1974 and released by the Enja label.
One-Upmanship is an album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron with soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, recorded in 1977, and released by the Enja label. The CD reissue added three solo piano pieces to the original album.
Moods is an album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron, recorded in 1978, and released by the Enja label. Originally released as a double LP, the CD reissue omitted three of the piano solos to fit onto one compact disc and altered the running order; a later CD reissue reinstated Waldron's "Soul Eyes".
Art of the Duo is an album by jazz pianist Mal Waldron and saxophonist Jim Pepper recorded in 1988 and released on the German Tutu label.
Quadrologue at Utopia is a live album by jazz pianist Mal Waldron featuring Jim Pepper recorded in 1989 and released on the German Tutu label.
More Git' Go at Utopia is a live album by jazz pianist Mal Waldron featuring Jim Pepper recorded in 1989 and released on the German Tutu label.
Mal, Verve, Black & Blue is a live album by jazz pianist Mal Waldron recorded in 1994 and released on the German Tutu label.
The Wonderful World of Jazz is an album by pianist and composer John Lewis recorded for the Atlantic label in 1960.
