Search - Charles Lloyd :: All My Relations

Don?t overlook this wonderful Album

gat999 | Warren, MI USA | 01/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since no other reviews exist, I felt obligated to say something about this terrific album.
This is an up tempo musical experience presented by Charles Lloyd.The set starts out at a brisk pace with "Piercing the Veil". Charles puts in some top notch sax playing here. "Little Peace" slows down and finds Charles on flute and what a beautiful tune this is. "Thelonious Theonlyus" follows at a quicker pace with some great vamping and soloing by Charles on sax and Bobo Stenson on piano. "Cape to Cairo Suite" starts with an Anders Jormin bass solo. The rest of the band then comes in. Charles sax darts around with the rest of the band before they all settle down and find the melody. A wonderful piano solo is contained in this tune along with some high energy sax playing."Evanstide" starts out with some beautiful piano playing at a slow pace. The bass and drums walk in to support the musical effort. Charles is the last to join. This is a beautiful tune that develops into a mid tempo pace. "All my Relations" starts out with a sax and drum exchange. About 4 ½ minutes into the tune the bass player joins in. Another couple of minutes later the piano joins and Charles steps away momentarily to give the band solo space. "Hymne to the Mother" begins mysteriously with some piano (I think) and drum/cymbal work. The bass joins in with some wonderful but brief out front playing. Then in walks Charles to communicate his feelings for this song. The set concludes with a brief solo song that finds Charles on Chinese Oboe.Most of the tunes found on this album are up tempo. The entire band is in top notch form. Bobo Stenson puts in a fine performance on piano (quite breathtaking). Anders Jormin on bass is exciting and really makes the bass walk along and sing. Billy Hart on drums is full of energy on this session.As usual, the recording quality is stellar. Be sure to pick up this album. It may be eight years old (released in 1995) but it should not to be overlooked. This is a "must have" Charles Lloyd album. The music is melodic but also includes a couple of more adventuresome tunes. This is exciting jazz.Bravo Charles, thank you for providing us with such wonderful music. Now....can I convince you to play more flute on your next release. I just love that flute playing (thought I would try any way)."

Effortless Togetherness

Karl W. Nehring | Ostrander, OH USA | 07/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Saxophonist Charles Lloyd (who also plays flute and Chinese oboe on this recording) plays in a more outgoing style than in his past few CDs on the ECM label (Notes from Big Sur and The Call, both of which I recommend very highly--and don't overlook his Fish Out of Water, a dynamite recording), and has written liner notes that offer a different perspective on his musical career. On this CD, Lloyd swings! As always, though, Lloyd leads a group that seems to play with an effortless togetherness, the net result being jazz that rewards the mind as well as the ear while going straight to the heart, straight from the heart."