Customer Reviews

Lift Every Voice

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a run of absolutely sublime albums: "Voice in the Night," "The Water is Wide," "Hyperion with Higgins," and now, "Lift Every Voice." Lloyd is the deepest tenor player since Coltrane. Hell, he's among most profound living instrumentalists in any genre. Anouar Brahem's oud; Miles's trumpet; Trane's tenor; Maxim Vengerov's violin; Ravi Shankar's sitar; Rostropovich's cello; Toumani Diabate's kora. Lloyd's tenor is on this list. (Sorry, I realize that Miles and Trane aren't living--but I couldn't not include them). What Lloyd does with this mix of spirituals, pop tunes and originals is simultaneously to lift them up and to dig deeply into them (in much the same way Billie did with much more banal material). Its been said of Beethoven's late String Quartets that they're "beyond music." Surely, Lloyd's music takes us beyond our everyday realm to a place where all is joyous and serene.

This is a very special album indeed. Its a long wait as ECM records are somewhat a rarity at this part of the world. Charles Lloyd's Lift every voice isn't an average recording, in the league of his previous works ever sincere and ever soul moving. I couldn't agree that he is Coltrane in the 2nd being but Lloyd at 1st in his own right. The rendition of Amazing Grace to Marvin Gaye's Whats Going on has a sense of individuality yet recalls the familiarity of the numbers. I find this album edging towards experimentation with the addition of Marc Johnson and without Brad Mehldau. What I would love to hear is Tenor Sax: Charles Lloyd, Piano: Ahmad Jamal, Guitar: Pat Matheny, DB bass: Charlie Haden, Drums: Billy Higgins anyway just a wild thought...

Lift every voice is a keeper on my collection and could be well renamed as Lift every soul. I am glad to have been elevated again. Mr Lloyd thank you for the music.

Charles Lloyd and his superb group will take you on a journey with this 2cd set.The essence of each song is found as each musician weaves in and out effortlessly--allowing the listener to hear the song as a whole or a statement.Lloyd selections are spirituals,pop hits, originals, and 2 Silvio Rodriquez songs.One of which is Te Amare which has a beautiful melody churned forward by the group as a whole-as close to an ecstatic state as music can take you.Of special interest on this album is John Abercrombie's guitar playing--it is masterful--everything he does builds,supports, and betters his leader. Lloyd is definitely on to something with this music recorded after Sept 11--it is music of peace--but it is something even more.It is a musician making music from heart and soul--it really just seems to come poring out--There is no Ego in this music--And that is what music should be.

Charles Lloyd has consistently worked within the parameters developed by John Coltrane in formulating a spiritually-oriented, introspective jazz form that incorporates ideas from various ethnic musics. However, he should not be seen as an imitator but a brilliant and soulful interpretor in the Coltrane tradition -- no less than any great player in any traditional music form. Lloyd has a lot of heart and a wide range of musical ideas to draw upon, and that really comes through in this superb recording.

Nothing more can be added that hasn't already been said about this transcendant work. This is more of a plug to see Charles live if you get a chance. I saw him last night for his birthday at L.A.'s Jazz Bakery and it lifted me way up there. It was more of a group meditation than a concert. Similarly this is more of a prayer circle than a CD. We could all use more of those right now.

Lift Every Voice is one of Lloyd's most mature albums to date. It is amazingly spiritual and soulful at a time when it is most needed. Highly recommended.

Charles Lloyd has recorded many fine albums in his long and distinguished career, but none finer than this one. I, too, was reluctant to acquire this disc, not because I thought it would be mostly ballads, but because I mistakenly took the Amazon[.com] editorial review to mean that it was a live session. I generally don't like the distractions, reduced sonic clarity, mistakes, and other annoyances that often accompany live recordings. But I'm a big Lloyd fan, so I picked it up anyway.

I was surprised to discover when I opened it that it's a studio recording, and as I have listened, I find it hard to believe he could've topped this effort if it had've been live.

Slight changes in personnel are part of what make this recording Lloyd's best. One wouldn't think Geri Allen as necessarily an improvement over Brad Mehldau for the piano chair, but she seems even more on the leader's wavelength than Mehldau, especially in this more ballad-oriented setting. Of course Billy Higgins, alas, is no longer available for drums, but Billy Hart, himself a very accomplished, if somewhat underregarded, percussionist, is also perfect for this setting. Known as a brilliant colorist, he constantly provides the perfect rhythmic underpinning for these meditative proceedings. For my money, there is little to choose between Larry Grenadier and Marc Johnson, who alternate on bass; both are rock-solid yet innovative, thoroughly modern players.

But I think the real genius of this session has to do with the circumstances of its genesis: The events of 9/11. Lloyd has been heading in this direction--ruminative, deep-delved selections of traditional material, brilliant covers of both modern and standard compositions, and his own revelatory original tunes--ever since at least Voice in the Night, but his concept comes fully into flower following the horrors of that day of infamy. Always having healing and reconcilliation as a major element of his conception, it is almost as if this lifelong concern has found the perfect--if tragic--circumstances of expression in the aftermath of 9/11, and that has coincided with his finding the optimal musical companions to bring it to life. Thus he becomes, willy-nilly, a kind of national emmisary of raprochement. His faithfulness to his particular muse has resulted in Lift Every Voice, a fitting summation of a lifetime of singular musical vision. Absolute highest recommendation, especially if you love jazz, but even if you don't.

I'm still asking myself how a compilation of new material recorded with a recently reconfigured band could feel so much like a greatest hits album. Lloyd's never recorded most of this material before and yet it reflects so many of the points along the trajectory of his career. Charles Lloyd has wandered freely in his music over the years, carving out distinct periods, but in this two-disc recording he ranges from the blues (which you rarely hear him play live) through classic Ellington, his own melodic ruminations, interpretations of pop songs and spirituals. This is a roadmap of the terrain that he's traveled, gorgeously distilled. The essential Lloyd.

I have to admit, I was hesitant to buy this album. I picked up Charles Lloyd's "Hyperion with Higgins" about 3 months ago and just love the up-tempo groove of that album.

I knew from reading some reviews that "Lift Every Voice" was going to be a slow-tempo album and questioned whether or not it could hold my interest. Well ... I'm here to say that not only does it hold my interest, it is a wonderful album to listen to.

The recording has such a "band" sound. They play as one, not a bunch of individuals off in several directions. The thing that strikes me most about this recording is how soothing and healing it feels to me. I put it on the other day whan I really was not feeling well. The music just peacefully flowed from my stereo and really moved me. It felt healing, and hopeful and spiritual all at the same time. Charles Lloyd must be congradulated for putting together such a rich and emotionally deep sounding album.

Charles is joined by the ever creative John Abercrombie on guitar, Marc Johnson or Larry Gremadier on bass, Bill Hart on drums and the great sounding Gerri Allen on piano. Its exciting to hear Gerri Allen playing on this set. I hope she plays more ECM sessions because her piano playing deserves to be heard.

I can't believe my good fortune in having been able to hear this group live at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. I am struck by the unique voice that Mr. Lloyd brings to us in a time when such individuality is a rarity. I don't want to sound sappy here, but the predominant force both live and on the recording is LOVE.This music flows from beginning to end with an amazing program of songs. The waters are deep filled with nuance and homage to the tradion - and to the planet. It is timeless and seemless. We need more. Mr. Lloyd has elevated the art form to such a plateau, that there are few living musicians one can compare him to. And, the musicans playing with him here, are stellar in their contributions. DO NOT MISS this recording if you have ears and a heart. Santana is right, Charles Lloyd IS an international treasure...they should have included him on the program with Santana and Willie Nelson for the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize to Jimmy Carter. But then again, maybe one day they will recognize that music, the universal language, as spoken and sung by Lloyd, brings a message of peace and unity to a deeply troubled world. Don't give up on us, please keep singing your song.