Charles Lloyd Quartet John Abercrombie / Switzerland 02.12.1999

Tenor saxophone maestro Charles Lloyd entered a golden age after his return to ECM, and one of his representative works is the 1999 album “Voice in the Night.” This album captures a live performance from 1999 during the tour for that album, showcasing Lloyd’s mature spiritual jazz and the exquisitely beautiful quartet performance woven together by guitarist John Abercrombie’s transparent guitar playing. The lineup consists of some of the finest modern jazz musicians: John Abercrombie, Mark Johnson, and Billy Higgins. The performance is characterized by a serene and meditative sound world created by Lloyd’s soft, long-breathed tenor saxophone and Abercrombie’s uniquely ethereal harmonies. Rather than a barrage of intense solos, the ensemble focuses on the breathing of the melodies, and Billy Higgins’ delicate cymbal work softly supports the space. These performances can be described as a modern update of the ECM-esque transparency and the spiritual tradition of the 1960s Lloyd Quartet. Live At Lausanne, Switzerland 02/12/1999 1. When Miss Bessie Sings 2. Rerquiem 3. Homage 4. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing 5. Forest Flower (inc) Charles Lloyd (ts) John Abercrombie (g) Marc Johnson (b) Billy Higgins (dr)