"Far from a dry recital, this was well-listened, deeply collaborative music" [...] "Lacy would have been pleased." (Simon White, JazzTimes). Read the full review here.

Featuring luminaries from the improvised music scenes in Boston, Chicago and the Netherlands, The Whammies is a new quintet devoted to the repertoire and musical spirit of the late soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy. This all-star line-up features dutch drummer Han Bennink, who worked extensively with Lacy in the 1970's and 80's, and Jorrit Dijkstra, who studied with Lacy just before his death in 2004. The group plays colorful renditions of well-known Lacy tunes such as Bone, As Usual, and Dutch Masters, and some of his more conceptual and experimental works such as The Wire, Ducks, and The Precipitation Suite. Violinist Mary Oliver joins the quintet for a selection of compositions and improvisations.

The Whammies' CD will be out in the summer of 2012.

photo Julie Mallozzi