 |  | Charles Lloyd on the rise |  |
Without a doubt this is one of the all time great sixties era jazz albums by Chico Hamilton and his then young, songwriter and reed man, Charles Lloyd. Charles Lloyd, a much underrated tenor sax player, writes all the compositions including possibly his best known composition, "Forest Flower . " Going through my extensive, alphabetical order LP collection recently, I made notes of which to find on CD and immediately added this disc to my digital collection; I couldn't be more pleased. With the adition of four tracks taken from "Passin Thru" the sonic face lift results in a reworking of some classic jazz. Another featured artist is the Hungarian born Gabor Zsabo whose tone on guitar is unmistakable with it's fluidity and expressive style. Both Lloyd(now on ECM) and Zsabo(see "Spellbinder") went on to solo careers but this is a disc on which they cut their collective teeth. The opening and title track, "Man From Two Worlds" is introduced with a bass line followed by an eerie, haunting guitar that sounds similar to the guitar introduction from "The End" by the Doors which was used in "Apocalypse Now. " Charles Lloyd soon enters with his fine tenor sax work, playing counter to the other instruments on another channel for a remarkable effect. All of the songs are outstanding but I am impartial to "Forest Flower" as I have several different versions of the melodic sunrise and sunset tune. No matter how many times you have heard this song you can never get tired of it. This particular version has a depth of it's own with the clarity and strumming of guitar by Zsabo in the tenor breaks before Lloyd resumes his mastery and impeccable exploration of the beauty of his horn. The song is 10 minutes long and as you listen you will feel the good vibe that cascades and playfully bounces along in transition from sunrise to sunset, taking you on a musical journey that you will want to experience again and again. Although it is Chico Hamilton's group it is the talent of Charles Lloyd that carries the disc into the category of being a classic disc from the past. Naturally the leadership and driving rhythms by Chico Hamilton contribute heavliy to the success of this disc but credit must also be given to two giants of the recording industry on Impulse, producer Bob Thiele and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Thiele and Van Gelder's original work make for the remastering to sound even better. The audio quality is outstanding and sounds even more amazing on headphones. If you are new to jazz try this disc from 1963 that has been rejuvenated and brought to the digital format for your listening pleasure. If you are updating your old collection don't hesitate to put this at the top of your list. Recommended for jazz purists who like their jazz straight with no chaser.
February 25, 2004| | | This is my second favorite jazz CD of all time - | |
Number 1 is "Blue Train". "Blue Train" is my favorite album because it contains the greatest tenor sax solo ever recorded, Trane on the title cut. "Man From Two Worlds" contains the second greatest saxophone solo ever recorded, Charles Lloyd on "Forest Flower".
Somehow, Lloyd, one of the most original players on the jazz scene, has an undeserved reputation as being a Coltrane clone. Lloyd not only has a totally original and easily identifiable concept on the sax, he also creates a totally unique soundscape in which to play his solos. This CD is a good example, it is pianoless, and features Gabor Szabo on guitar. All the compositions are by Lloyd.
Everything about the CD is outstanding. The tunes are great. "Forest Flower", on a different recording, made Lloyd famous in the sixties. "Blues Medley" is the most 'radio ready' jazz tune I've ever heard, though I've never heard it on the radio! The sonority that Lloyd and Szabo achieve is unmatched by any other band, it is sophisticated but light. The band's swing is exceptional due to Hamilton's drumming, which seems to dance on every cut.
Everything worked on this CD. Great musicians playing at the limit. Lloyd's sax on "Forest Flower" is phenomenal, a maelstrom of notes that lay out a fantastic melody.
This CD was recorded in sixties. After a long absence from playing, Lloyd returned (in the late eighties?) and is recording on ECM. He hasn't lost it. December 21, 1999
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