April 25 20012

The New Charles Lloyd Quartet featuring Maria Farantouri played Herbst Sunday as part of SF Jazz.  This was a true meeting of world music.  Maria was the voice of Mikis Theodorakis' compositions, and a symbol of the resistance to the Greek military junta.  Charles Lloyd is one of my biggest musical influences.  To this day my love of major and minor 9ths and 13ths stems from his great quartet with Jack DeJohnette, Cecil McBee and Keith Jarrett. (For a while, Gabor Szabo was in the band!)  His New Quartet of the last several years includes Jason Moran, Eric Harland, and Reuben Rogers.  Along with Wayne Shorter's Quartet, I believe it is among the most important music being made.  Charles has known Maria for many years, and has studied Greek music.  All ethnic music has modes, and pentatonic scales, with micro tones (from Indian classical, to the blues).  Charles and Maria blended, seemingly effortlessly, while Eric Harland wove an infinite pattern of rhythms that would have confounded lesser talents.  True Genius!

March 1, 2012

Last Friday the dave Holland Overtone Quartet played the palace of Fine Arts Theatre as part of SF Jazz Spring Season.  It is a marvelous example of mature and young musicians inspiring each other.  Holland roomed with John McLaughlin in London, and introduced Tony Williams to John via a tape.  Dave played on Bitches Brew with Miles, and is on the Miles dvd at The Isle of Wight concert.  He has been at the forefront of new music all his professional life.  His 1972 recording, Conference of the Birds, with Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton, and Barry Altschul, set new directions for acoustic explorations.  Last year he recorded Hands, with Pepe Habechuela, among the most soulful of flamenco guitarists.  Joining Dave for this concert were Chris Potter, one of the leading tenor players of his generation, Jason Moran, and the brilliant Eric Harland.  They each compose for the quartet, and while Dave is the leader and senior artist, it is a truly a collaborative effort. 

Number 40 April 29, 2010

Charles Lloyd at The Palace of Fine Arts as part of SF Jazz this last Sunday was magical.  He is one of my biggest musical influences.  I realized years ago that many of the open voiced major ninth chords I love to play, and which are unusual voicings for a guitarist, come from Keith Jarrett's work with Charles' early quartet.  The current quartet, with Reuben Rogers on bass, Jason Moran on piano, and Eric Harland on drums is perhaps his best since that fine group.  I just redicovered his first recording, "Of Course, Of Course",  with Ron Carter ,Tony Williams  , and Gabor Szabo.  Charles Lloyd was the music director for Chico Hamilton when Gabor was in the band.  I had the priviledge of being in Chico's band in 1979 and 1980, and I was flattered that I reminded him of Gabor.  It amazes me what a direct link there is between musicians.  Along with Wayne Shorter and Cecil Taylor, Charles Lloyd remains at the forefront of pushing the music forward, something very few artists can do at an advanced age.