via The Guardian

Charles Lloyd is the last man standing of an inspired 1950s American saxophone generation, which included his late friends and contemporaries John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, and the now-retired Sonny Rollins. He once recalled to the Guardian that the free-jazz visionary Coleman had told him in 1956: “Man, you sure can play the saxophone, but that don’t have a lot to do with music.” Lloyd has been searching the world’s songs for the heartfelt secrets beyond technique ever since, and his voice-like sound and intuitive ensemble communion seems to convey more with less with each exquisite new album.

The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow – new and old material played by an all-star lineup – is released on Lloyd’s 86th birthday, 15 March. Backed by pianist/composer Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade, this set’s beautiful opener Defiant, Tender Warrior builds a bewitching trance from soft piano wavelets, growling bass accents and snare-pattern whispers before Lloyd’s breathy tenor long-tones and enraptured top-end warbles even begin. Monk’s Dance, a tribute to the pianist and composer whom Lloyd calls “the high priest”, opens on Moran’s free-to-stride piano whirlpools, setups for Lloyd’s whimsical lateral-bop sax solo.

Read the Full Article on The Guardian

Charles Lloyd on TKA

via Rolling Stone

Judith Hill is paying tribute to the sacrifice and fight of the powerful women who raised her. The Grammy winner (and Prince protégé) debuts the video for “Dame de la Lumière,” written about her mother and grandmother’s perseverance, with Rolling Stone Tuesday.

“Dame De La Lumière speaks to the strength and resilience of women who have endured hardships and have come out of the fire victorious and unstoppable,” she says of the track.

“I remember how they overcame the impossible and survived because they were determined to be there for their families,” she adds in a press release. “Standing on their shoulders, I carry on. I close my eyes and see the faces of every woman in history who turned weeds into leaves of evergreen. They stand taller than the mountains. If they can do it, I can do it. Bad times make strong women! This is my mantra.”

Read the Full Article on Rolling Stone

Judith Hill on TKA

via VPM

Renowned pianist Abdullah Ibrahim says that his outlook on music is to approach each note with total honesty. It’s a philosophy that’s brought him from the musical melting pot of Cape Town to New York City’s famous Chelsea Hotel, from early performances as a teenager to being mentored by Duke Ellington and performing with John Coltrane.
 
Now, at 89, he’s continuing to offer that honesty in the form of 3, an expansive new album where he performed two sets alongside longtime collaborators Cleave Guyton and Noah Jackson – first for an empty room, then for a full live audience. Ibrahim has been called “our Mozart” by Nelson Mandela and seen his music become anthems of the anti-Apartheid movement.The songs of 3 connect to another philosophy of his: the unique power of music to transform and heal, from individual injuries to international conflicts.

I caught up with him to learn more about the new album, how those ideas have impacted his work, and his life doing what he calls “pointing at the moon.”

Listen to the Full Segment on VPM.org

Abdullah Ibrahim on TKA

via CBS New York

Music has the power to bring people together, regardless of where they’re from.

That is the message behind American Patchwork Quartet. 

The collective, made up of four award-winning musicians with diverse backgrounds, is dedicated to lifting up underrepresented voices.

We spoke with two Grammy Award-winning members, vocalist Falu and band leader Clay Ross, about their many influences and their debut album.

American Patchwork Quartet on TKA