A towering musical figure, Charles Lloyd carries on the unifying mission of such truth seekers as Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. During the late 60s, Lloyd led one of the most popular groups in jazz that went on to produce Forest Flower, one of the best-selling jazz albums ever.
All About Jazz writes, “There was plenty to admire in the Charles Lloyd New Quartet’s San Francisco concert: Lloyd pushed his young rhythm section to a new plane of sensitivity; the compositions were elegant and flexible, allowing for both hard-driving rhythms and feathery melodic exploration; and the band played ballads with a beauty intolerant of sap.” More Information
Musicianship at the highest possible level, creative, inspired, spontaneous, vintage and modern, subtle, sensitive, fearless yet measured. And they danced!
A gorgeous, memorable concert — four top-flight musicians engaged in a musical highwire act that required a high degree of subtlety, sensitivity and nuance, in addition to the usual firepower one would expect. Lloyd was in fine form, sporting a warm tenor tone that is as close to mid-period Coltrane as I’ve ever heard. He plays with the authority of an elder stateseman who has earned his place in the pantheon of greats and doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody. And yet he’s still digging deep, not content to coast or play it safe. Moran, Rogers and Harland are some of the best in the biz, and seemed both relaxed and inspired to be in Lloyd’s company. Finally, the sound in Bowker Hall was superb. All in all a truly great show.
Showtime in the truest sense of the term. Brilliant ensemble playing together with unmatched camaraderie…Lloyd, Moran, Rogers and Harland were superb all night long…Lloyd spoke briefly letting his horns do the talking for him, with Moran, Rogers and Harland contributing creative, improvised, spontaneous music….the best jazz concert I have attended in some time and that includes Newport…..
Fantastico! Took the chill out of the cold winter night air. In the mid-70s, “Forest Flower” was one of my favorite jazz albums, though I haven’t kept up with his music in the interim. (I will be repenting.) Like the above poster, I thought this was one of the best concerts I’ve seen in the past few years. Reasons include – the MAN, who not only looked the part, but blew like the master that he truly is; his presence and energy, understated yet powerful. By virtue of his age and his music, he is a giant in the jazz world, a national treasure; the opportunity to hear the incredible musicianship of the group as a quartet, trio, duo and solos…the young cats can truly swing!; his surprising (to me) interpretation of the Beach Boys’ “Caroline No” which took my brain a few minutes to ID (I’ve since read that he’s buds w/Brian Wilson); the wonderful structure of his music and the way he explores the edges without getting lost there. A special night.
I agree wholehearedly with the other posters, but I would add that it is truly wonderful to see someone from Lloyd’s generation play with the younger generation to make music that is timeless. As someone who is only one year younger than Lloyd I admire so much that he is moving the music along with his younger colleagues while keeping true to the roots of this amazing music.
Majestic, magical, mystical music. The evening ranks up there with some of the most memorable jazz experiences I’ve had. Polyphony; amazingly fluid rhythm changes; masterful improvisation of rhythm, harmony and melody lines to take us on a profound emotional jouney. Thank you Fine Arts Center for a great evening.
Having waited 42 years for Charles Lloyd to play in a nearby location was worth the wait! Charles Lloyd and his quartet played a very high level of spontaneous composition and creative art. The music was magic in the air. I left the concert feeling completely elated. The feeling of happiness and well-being is still being felt days later. This was music that heals the soul. What a pleasure! That he stayed after the concert to meet and great the audience was generous to say the least, and shows the measure of this great artist. Thank you Charles Llyod, his quartet members, Willy Hill at UMass, and everyone else that made this special concert a night I will never forget.
On the subject of Tuesday night’s performance at Bowker Auditorium by Charles Lloyd’s New Quartet: It is a very good feeling to see that real, inventive, inspirational jazz is still being created! Charles Lloyd is a conduit to the truth that fine music communicates. To see the wonderful interactions between these 4 talented musicians gives me hope, for the future of music, and of humanity. Thank you!
I have been to several of Lloyd’s concerts over the years; with Jason Moran adding to his group, this is the best yet. I could tell that Lloyd was on a high hearing what his backup group was doing. The audience at Bowker did its part, also, in making this a first class experience. Thanks to FAC.
I loved it. It was a great performance and an inspiration to all that play this music. there was one song that is not on the CD that should be or could be labeled LIVE at Bowker.
Charles and the band made Bowker a different place for a while Tuesday night. Hot jazz on a cold winter night. Best $20 I ever spent.
Wonderful evening. Coninueng growth as an artist. His new much younger side people showed he is bringing another generation along with him. The group had a captivating spirit.