''Legwork'' is an album by American jazz flautist
released on the
Solid State label in 1970.
[Jazzlists: Solid State 18000 series LP discography](_blank)
accessed April 18, 2018 Solid State Records was formed as a jazz label by Sonny Lester, Phil Ramone and Manny Alban. Their first recording listed was Alban's ''Brass On Fire'' (SS-18000). Solid State's second last recording was ''Legwork''.
Steig's artwork is used to great effect on the gatefold format LP.
Reception
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Wilson McCloy said: "''Legwork'' has long been a "rare-groove" collectors' favorite, and for good reason. The versatile Eddie Gomez lays down funky and compelling grooves throughout on acoustic bass while not hesitating to swing when necessary, walking his bass lines over Don Alias' sometimes sparse yet authoritative drumming. Steig utilizes a seemingly endless array of flute techniques, soaring above and interacting with the rhythm section. On several tracks he uses overdubbing effectively, calling and responding to his lines. The whole album is truly eclectic, spanning funk, exotic ostinatos, blues, Miles Davis' "Nardis," and freer excursions ... ''Legwork'' remains one of the high points of Steig's recorded work".
Nat Hentoff in his liner notes says, "As a long-time appreciator of the vaulting energy and irrepressible creativeness that are to me synonymous with Jeremy Steig, I find this album especially regenerating."
The song, Howlin' For Judy, was later sampled by the Beastie Boys and, ironically, made more money for him than anything he ever did.
Track listing
All compositions by Jeremy Steig except where noted
# "Howlin' for Judy" – 4:38
# "Permutations" (Steig, Eddie Gómez) – 8:00
# "Hot-Head" (Steig, Gómez, Sam Brown, Don Alias) – 8:50
# "Alias (a li' as)" (Steig, Gómez, Alias) – 4:18
# "
Nardis" (
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
) – 11:02
# "Piece of Freedom" (Steig, Gómez) – 6:02
Personnel
*Jeremy Steig –
flute
The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...
*
Eddie Gómez
Edgar Gómez (born October 4, 1944) is a Puerto Rican jazz double bassist, known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1966 to 1977.
Biography
Gómez moved with his family from Puerto Rico at a young age to New York, where he was raised. ...
−
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Wood
* Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
,
electric upright bass
The electric upright bass (EUB) is an instrument that can perform the musical function of a double bass.
It requires only a minimal or 'skeleton' body to produce sound because it uses a pickup and electronic amplifier and loudspeaker. Therefore, ...
*
Don Alias
Charles "Don" Alias (December 25, 1939 – March 28, 2006) was an American jazz percussionist.
Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums. He was also a capable drum kit performer. He played drums on the song "Miles Runs the V ...
– drums
*
Sam Brown – guitar on "Hot-Head"
;Technical
The venerable Nat Hentoff did some superb liner notes for the album
* Sam Feldman, sound engineer at Bell Sound Studios did the mastering and post production
*Frank Gauna - art direction
*Jeremy Steig - artwork
References
{{Authority control
1970 albums
Albums produced by Sonny Lester
Jazz-funk albums
Jeremy Steig albums
Solid State Records (jazz label) albums