''Epistrophy'' (also released as ''Steve Lacy Plays Monk'') is the second album by Steve Lacy to consist entirely of tunes written by

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", "B ...

following '' Reflections'' (1958). It was released in 1969 on the French BYG label and features performances by Lacy,

Michel Graillier Michel Graillier (18 October 1946, Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France – 11 February 2003, Paris) was a French jazz pianist. Biography From the ages of four to eighteen, Graillier studied classical piano in Lens, France. During adolescence, he work ...

, Jean-François Jenny Clark and

Aldo Romano Aldo Romano (born 16 January 1941) is an Italian jazz drummer. He also founded a rock group in 1971. Biography He was born in Belluno, Italy. Romano moved to France as a child and by the 1950s he was playing guitar and drums professionally in P ...

Reception

The

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars stating "This is easily Lacy's "straightest" album from the period, and he stays melodically and harmonically close to Monk's original compositions in the heads before taking off elsewhere in the solos. But Lacy keeps to the notion of repetition, syncopation, and melodic invention that Monk did, and the band is nearly symbiotic in its communication around and with him. The music here is a delight and a revelation all at the same time. The sound is warm and full and the transfer is solid.".Jurek, T.
Allmusic Review
accessed June 26, 2011

Track listing

# "Thelonious" - 7:00 # "Ruby My Dear" - 4:20 # "Light Blue" - 6:00 # "Epistrophy" - 2:14 # "Epistrophy" - 7:50 # "Misterioso" - 4:50 # "Friday the Thirteenth" - 5:37 :''All compositions by Thelonious Monk'' **Recorded in Paris, September 23, 1969

Personnel

* Steve Lacy - soprano saxophone *

- piano * Jean-François Jenny Clark - bass *

- drums

References

{{Authority control 1969 albums Steve Lacy (saxophonist) albums BYG Actuel albums Thelonious Monk tribute albums