Charles Lloyd

During 1966-1969, Charles Lloyd led one of the most popular groups in jazz, a unit that played at the rock palace Fillmore West in San Francisco and toured the U.S.S.R. Lloyd's music, although generally a bit melodic, was not watered-down and managed to catch on for several years during a time when jazz was at its low point in popularity. Lloyd played locally in Memphis (including with B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland) and then in the mid-'50s moved to Los Angeles to attend USC. During his six years in L.A., he gigged around town and played alto with Gerald Wilson's Orchestra. In 1961 he joined the Chico Hamilton Quintet on flute and tenor, making his recording debut and gaining a strong reputation. During 1964-1965, he was with the Cannonball Adderley Sextet and then in mid-1965 formed his own group. By 1966, the Charles Lloyd Quartet included Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee (who was later succeeded by Ron McClure), and Jack DeJohnette and the band was the hit of the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival, recorded steadily, toured Europe six times, and was remarkably popular. Lloyd, whose most famous composition is "Forest Flower," played tenor in a soft-toned version of John Coltrane, while his lyrical flute playing is more original. After his group changed personnel in 1969, Lloyd gradually faded out of music, becoming a teacher of transcendental meditation. The few records he made in the 1970s were quite spiritual and bordered on new age. However pianist Michel Petrucciani looked Lloyd up in the early '80s and persuaded him to return to active playing. For a period, Petrucciani was in his quartet. By the late '80s Lloyd had a new group with pianist Bobo Stenson, bassist Palle Danielsson, and drummer Jon Christensen that regularly recorded for ECM. Charles Lloyd, whose style remains...