Charles Lloyd Corner

[jlhoots]

Don't know if this has been raised elsewhere.

I heard a rumor that Mosaic had contacted Lloyd about reissue of the Columbia sets. Anyone know anything about this??

Edited November 17, 2005 by jlhoots

[Guy Berger]

Have you seen that Jazz Casual spot of Lloyd's? There are gyrations and facial expressions worthy of the very worst rock bands of the time. If Spinal Tap was to ever hire a tenor player, they'd use this set as a role model of how the guy should behave while playing. And Jarrett ain't no better...

I've only seen Lloyd's current live performances, which feature some gyrations but probably not as bad as the video you describe (and I haven't seen).

As far as Jarrett -- I recently read an interview with him where he said he'd recently seen a video of one of his performances. He laughed and said that "it was pretty graphic."

Guy

[Stereojack]

Some of you may already know that he plays on two Beach Boys tracks, "Trancendental Meditation" and "Feel Flows". The Boys, in turn, appear on his albums "Waves" and "Warm Waters".

←

Are you sure about those being the cuts?

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Absolutely - plays tenor on "Trancendental Meditation" (on "Friends") and flute on "Feel Flows" (on "Surf's Up").

[JSngry]

I ask because I've never seen that credited anywhere before. Lloyd's got credits for the later 15 Big Ones & The M.I.U. Album, as well as that whole Celebration offshoot thing, but I dunno....I find it hard to believe that that's Lloyd's tenor on "Trancendental Meditation", if for no other reason than the tone is so unfocused and ragged. Sounds more like it might be somebody like Steve Douglas, or even/probably Mike Love (who, remember, honked out a few lame solos on earlier BB sides). It's pretty bad tenor playing, really.

Friends was when, '68? Had Lloyd gotten into TM yet?

Edited November 18, 2005 by JSngry

[Stereojack]

I find it hard to believe that that's Lloyd's tenor on  "Trancendental Meditation", if for no other reason than the tone is so unfocused and ragged. Sounds more like it might be somebody like Steve Douglas, or even/probably Mike Love (who, remember, honked out a few lame solos on earlier BB sides). It's pretty bad tenor playing, really.

Friends was when, '68? Had Lloyd gotten into TM yet?

←

Mike Love's tenor solos were way beneath whover is playing on TM, which is somewhat Trane-ish, I've always thought. I can't remember where I first heard it, but I don't have trouble believing it to be Lloyd. Steve Douglas is certainly a logical guess, but I can't hear him doing this. I don't know when Lloyd first got into TM, or when he befriended the Beach Boys, but it seems plausible to me.

[Guy Berger]

One more thing, non-Beach Boy related. I was listening to "European Fantasy" today and it struck me how much David S Ware was influenced by Lloyd's playing.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

New Lloyd album coming out in April, according to the ECM website:

Charles Lloyd’s first live album for ECM, recorded in California, features his new trio Sangam. It is a very exciting band and the often-breathtaking exchanges between Zakir Hussain’s tabla and Eric Harland’s jazz drums –a rush of purring, jewel precision beats - galvanize Lloyd’s own playing. Ideas are hurled, often gleefully, between the three musicians. Well-known Lloyd tunes such as “Tales of Rumi”, “Little Peace” and “Hymn To The Mother” are interspersed with brand-new constructions invented in the moment, which glow with the freshness of discovery.

[montg]

Any thoughts on Lloyd's 2002 album Lift Every Voice?

I don't think it's Lloyd's best for ECM, but if you like the other ECMs you'll probably like this one. Some great stuff on here -- "Blood Count", the Silvio Rodriguez tunes, "Amazing Grace", the flute tune on the second disc. Parts of the second disc ramble.

Guy

Just received this. I haven't gotten to the second disc yet, but I'm really lovin' what I'm hearing on the first one. I'm not a particularly big fan of the ECM stuff in general, but something about the LLoyd/Abercrombie combination speaks to me in just the right spot.

[GregK]

I've gotten used to a new Lloyd album every year, but there doesn't appear to be anything new happening this year. Anyone know if there will be anything coming out soon?

[sidewinder]

Any thoughts on Lloyd's 2002 album Lift Every Voice?

I don't think it's Lloyd's best for ECM, but if you like the other ECMs you'll probably like this one. Some great stuff on here -- "Blood Count", the Silvio Rodriguez tunes, "Amazing Grace", the flute tune on the second disc. Parts of the second disc ramble.

Guy

Just received this. I haven't gotten to the second disc yet, but I'm really lovin' what I'm hearing on the first one. I'm not a particularly big fan of the ECM stuff in general, but something about the LLoyd/Abercrombie combination speaks to me in just the right spot.

Up again for this thread. Have been spinning 'Lift Every Voice' for the last few days and really like it. Started on CD2 (the one with the great 'Blood Count' on it) and haven't even got to CD1 yet. I find Geri Allen's playing on this album particularly effective - thoughtfull, unpredictable and reminds me a lot of Alice Coltrane's 60s style. Anyone expecting lots of down-home blues on this album is going to be disappointed - however, it is extremely lyrical. John Abercrombie also fits into this style most effectively and as mentioned, he sounds good in unison with Lloyd.

Penguin guide gives it 3 stars - I think that's a wee bit ungenerous and it merits at least a '3.5'.

Edited August 29, 2009 by sidewinder

[WorldB3]

^ I will revisit that one again, for some reason aside from a few tunes I have yet to connect with most of the Billy Higgens (Water Is Wide, Hyperion with Higgins) records the same way I do with Canto and Jumping the Creek.

Edited August 29, 2009 by WorldB3

[fent99]

I've a question regarding Charles Lloyd and wonder whether anyone can help. In 1999 I was lucky enough to be in New York when the Jazz Festival was on. I caught a couple of shows and picked up a flier saying they'd been recorded and dutifully checked to see if I could order them. None of the shows I'd seen showed up unfortunately but I did see a Charles Lloyd show listed and had heard Voice in the Night so I ordered a disc full. (with a couple of fillers by Charles Gayle and the Brilliant Coroners(!))

Couple of things:

Can anyone confirm when/where the show took place (All I have is June 3-13 1999 New York) Knitting Factory maybe?

Does anyone have the rest of the show? I like the studio albums but this set with Lloyd, John Scofield in for Abercrombie and I think Marc Johnson on bass with Higgins is brilliant and I've been kicking myself for not springing for the whole thing...

Any info would be great. Its a great idea too and a shame its never really caught on...

[Guy Berger]

I was listening to the Superbird reissue of Discovery and Nirvana. Nirvana is a mixed bag but Discovery is fantastic! Lloyd plays a lot better than on many of the Atlantics.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

I've been recently exploring the Lloyd back catalog - Of Course Of Course, Notes from Big Sur, and Acoustic Masters I. NfBS is prob my favorite of the 3, and my opinion one of the best from the ECM run, but the other two are excellent two. Acoustic Masters is a nice example of Lloyd playing in a relatively mainstream setting - Cedar Walton is an interesting contrast to the more "modern" pianists Lloyd has played with on ECM.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

Unsolicited, my ratings of the Lloyd albums I've heard:

Discovery (A)

Of Course, Of Course (A)

Nirvana ( C )

Dream Weaver (A)

Forest Flower (B)

The Flowering (A)

In Europe (B)

Love In (B)

Journey Within ( C - I know I said good stuff about this in the past, since re-evaluated downward)

In the Soviet Union ( C )

Soundtrack ( C )

Fish Out of Water (B)

Notes from Big Sur (A)

Acoustic Masters I (A)

The Call (B, maybe C)

All My Relations (B, maybe A)

Canto (A)

Voice in the Night (A)

The Water Is Wide (A)

Hyperion with Higgins (B)

Lift Every Voice (B, maybe A)

Jumping the Creek (B)

Sangam (B, maybe A)

Rabo de Nube (A)

Edited January 27, 2013 by Guy

[Milestones]

I'd like to get this kicking again, as I do like Charles Lloyd quite a lot. I'm much too young to have been into him, or into jazz, in the 1960s, so I'm largely responding to his ECM albums, especially those since about the turn of the century. Parts of Lift Every Voice are spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoy Rabo de Nube--a really fine live album. I did see Lloyd once in concert, and this record seems to reflect this rather well.

I was somewhat disappointed by Mirror, especially since I found Jason Moran to be such a great fit in Lloyd's group. I understand there is a just-released (or about to be released) duo CD of Lloyd and Moran. I would like to hear that.

[six string]

I've been a fan of his music from the associations with Chico Hamilton and Gabor Szabo to his more current phase. It's his Autumnal phase that I'm enjoying now which has been wonderful watching it unfold like a reincarnation though he's never really died. He's playing as good if not better than he ever has which is amazing in some ways. I don't have anything newer than Rabo de Nube and I don't have everything. There are a few from his last ten or fifteen years that I still don't have but the ones I do get a lot of playing from me. I can't think of a weak album in my collection so I guess you could call me a satisfied fan. In a way it reminds me that you don't need to own everything by an artist with such an extensive discography, a well chosen selection whether by skill or luck can be enough.

[niels]

I'd like to get this kicking again, as I do like Charles Lloyd quite a lot. I'm much too young to have been into him, or into jazz, in the 1960s, so I'm largely responding to his ECM albums, especially those since about the turn of the century. Parts of Lift Every Voice are spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoy Rabo de Nube--a really fine live album. I did see Lloyd once in concert, and this record seems to reflect this rather well.

I was somewhat disappointed by Mirror, especially since I found Jason Moran to be such a great fit in Lloyd's group. I understand there is a just-released (or about to be released) duo CD of Lloyd and Moran. I would like to hear that.

My story is almost the same. First album I got from him was Rabo de Nube, and since then I try to get all his ECM stuff from the early nineties till now. I can understand the disappointment in Mirror, but haven given it a chance it completely grew on me, and now I play it quite a lot.

Edited January 30, 2013 by niels

[Milestones]

On my last go-around with Mirror, the first few tracks sounded good, but it largely lost something as I got deeper into it.

I don't have Athens Concert or Sangam--both rather different projects.

[jlhoots]

Looking forward to the upcoming Lloyd / Moran duo CD.

[GA Russell]

I listened to Rabo de Nube yesterday for the first time in a long while, and enjoyed it more than ever.

[tranemonk]

I listened to it the other day and I find it stunning. I'm generally not a Jason Moran fan.. but this is really a fantastic record. It's one of those that I have to LISTEN to.

Looking forward to the upcoming Lloyd / Moran duo CD.

[danasgoodstuff]

a generous dollop of late-trane-lite

A bit harsh.

Isn't that like calling orange 'red-lite' !

I admit my mind does wander a bit in Lloyd's ECM recordings but I like them, especially the last one. I saw him at the Brecon Festival a few years back and found him very engaging.

BBC 4 has a Lonon concert being broadcast at present with Abercrombie. Went out last night and is repeated tonight.

Orange is a stupid wannabe colour, and I feel pretty much the same way about Charles Lloyd. That early band with KJ et all was important since it marks the begining of '1st string' jazz bands where the rhythm section consistantly outplays the frontline...

[danasgoodstuff]

On the other hand, I just put the duets with Moran on hold, so?

[russes01]

Saw him Monday with Gerald Clayton, Ruben Rogers, Eric Harland - trio was tight and working damn hard - Lloyd a faint echo of middle period Trane and meh...