The Door is the second album by Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy , born Steven Norman Lackritz in New York City, was a jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone....

 to be released on the RCA Novus label. It was released in 1989 and features four of Lacy's compositions and one each by Monk

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...

, Bud Powell

Bud Powell

Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...

, Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...

 and George Handy

George Handy

George Handy was a jazz music arranger, composer and pianist whose musical beginnings were fostered under the tutelage of pianist Aaron Copland...

 performed by Lacy, Bobby Few

Bobby Few

Bobby Few is an American jazz pianist.Few was raised in Shaker Heights, a neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, and studied classical piano. He knew Albert Ayler as a youth, and the pair studied jazz and played together in high school...

, Steve Potts

Steve Potts (jazz musician)

Steve Potts is an American jazz saxophonist, younger cousin of tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate.Potts studied architecture in Los Angeles and took lessons by Charles Lloyd...

, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Oliver Johnson and Irene Aebi with Sam Woodyard

Sam Woodyard

Sam Woodyard was an American jazz drummer.Woodyard was largely an autodidact on drums, and played locally in the Newark, New Jersey area in the 1940s. He gigged with Paul Gayten in an R&B group, and then played in the early 1950s with Joe Holiday, Roy Eldridge, and Milt Buckner...

 guesting on one track recorded shortly before his death.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...

 awarded the album 4 stars stating "Overall this is a well-conceived and highly recommended set for Steve Lacy fans.".

Track listing

1. "The Door" - 7:26
2. "Ugly Beauty" (Monk
   Thelonious Monk
   Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
   
   ) - 7:48
3. "Cliches" - 8:27
4. "Forgetful" (Handy
   George Handy
   George Handy was a jazz music arranger, composer and pianist whose musical beginnings were fostered under the tutelage of pianist Aaron Copland...
   
   , Segal
   Jack Segal
   Jack Segal was a composer of popular American songs...
   
   ) - 7:21
5. "Blinks" - 9:13
6. "Coming Up" (Powell
   Bud Powell
   Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
   
   ) - 4:43
7. "The Breath" - 4:25
8. "Virgin Jungle" (Ellington
   Duke Ellington
   Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
   
   , Strayhorn
   Billy Strayhorn
   William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn was an American composer, pianist and arranger, best known for his successful collaboration with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington lasting nearly three decades. His compositions include "Chelsea Bridge", "Take the "A" Train" and "Lush Life".-Early...
   
   ) - 9:21

All compositions by Steve Lacy except as indicated

• Recorded at Family Sound, Paris on July 4 and 5, 1988

Personnel

• Steve Lacy
  Steve Lacy
  Steve Lacy , born Steven Norman Lackritz in New York City, was a jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone....
  
   - soprano saxophone
• Bobby Few
  Bobby Few
  Bobby Few is an American jazz pianist.Few was raised in Shaker Heights, a neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, and studied classical piano. He knew Albert Ayler as a youth, and the pair studied jazz and played together in high school...
  
   (1, 2, 4, 5 & 8) - piano
• Steve Potts
  Steve Potts (jazz musician)
  Steve Potts is an American jazz saxophonist, younger cousin of tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate.Potts studied architecture in Los Angeles and took lessons by Charles Lloyd...
  
   (1, 2, 5 & 8) - alto and soprano saxophones
• Jean-Jacques Avenel (1-3, 5, 6 & 8) - bass, sanza on (3)
• Oliver Johnson (1, 2, 5-8) - drums
• Irene Aebi (8) - vocals
• Sam Woodyard
  Sam Woodyard
  Sam Woodyard was an American jazz drummer.Woodyard was largely an autodidact on drums, and played locally in the Newark, New Jersey area in the 1940s. He gigged with Paul Gayten in an R&B group, and then played in the early 1950s with Joe Holiday, Roy Eldridge, and Milt Buckner...
  
  (8) - drums