Legwork (album)

Legwork is an album by American jazz flautist Jeremy Steig released on the Solid State label in 1970. 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'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 own 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
 * 1) "Howlin' for Judy" – 4:38
 * 2) "Permutations" (Steig, Eddie Gómez) – 8:00
 * 3) "Hot-Head" (Steig, Gómez, Sam Brown, Don Alias) – 8:50
 * 4) "Alias (a li' as)" (Steig, Gómez, Alias) – 4:18
 * 5) "Nardis" (Miles Davis) – 11:02
 * 6) "Piece of Freedom" (Steig, Gómez) – 6:02

Personnel
The venerable Nat Hentoff did some superb liner notes for the album
 * Jeremy Steig – flute
 * Eddie Gómez − bass, electric upright bass
 * Don Alias – drums
 * Sam Brown – guitar on "Hot-Head"
 * Technical


 * Sam Feldman, sound engineer at Bell Sound Studios did the mastering and post production


 * Frank Gauna - art direction
 * Jeremy Steig - artwork