Charles Lloyd (jazz musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Lloyd
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Lloyd in October 2014
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| Background information | |
| Born | March 15, 1938 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone, flute |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Labels | Atlantic, Blue Note, Columbia, ECM, Pacific Arts |
Charles Lloyd (born March 15, 1938) is an American jazz musician and composer. He is famous for playing the tenor saxophone and flute. Sometimes, he also plays other wind instruments like the alto saxophone and the Hungarian tárogató. Since 2007, Lloyd has led a group called a quartet. This group includes pianist Jason Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Eric Harland.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Charles Lloyd was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 13, 1938. Growing up in Memphis, he heard a lot of blues, gospel, and jazz. He has a mix of African, Cherokee, Mongolian, and Irish family roots.
He received his first saxophone when he was nine years old. He loved listening to jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday on the radio in the 1940s. His early music teachers included pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr.. As a teenager, Lloyd played jazz with other young musicians like George Coleman. He also played with famous blues artists such as B.B. King.
In 1956, Lloyd moved to Los Angeles. He went to the University of Southern California to study music. At night, he played jazz in clubs. He performed with many top West Coast jazz artists like Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. He was also part of Gerald Wilson's big band.
Charles Lloyd's Music Journey
Joining Famous Bands
In 1960, Charles Lloyd became the music director for Chico Hamilton's group. He wrote and arranged most of the music for their albums like Passin' Thru. He also worked with Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji.
In 1964, Lloyd joined the Cannonball Adderley Sextet. He played with musicians like Joe Zawinul. He stayed with Cannonball Adderley for two years. Lloyd says this time helped him learn how to be a leader.
Becoming a Leader
In 1964, Lloyd started recording his own music. His albums Discovery! (1964) and Of Course, Of Course (1965) made him famous. DownBeat magazine even named him a "New Star." He also played with The Beach Boys in their live shows.
In March 2021, Lloyd released Tone Poem with his group, The Marvels. This album included new songs by Lloyd and covers of songs by other artists like Leonard Cohen.
The Classic Quartet and World Music
In 1966, Lloyd formed his "classic quartet" in New York. The group included drummer Jack DeJohnette, pianist Keith Jarrett, and bassist Cecil McBee. Their live album Forest Flower, recorded in 1966, was very popular. It attracted both rock and jazz fans.
The Quartet toured all over America and Europe. In 1967, DownBeat magazine named Lloyd "Jazz Artist of the Year." They even performed in Estonia and Russia, which were part of the Soviet Union at the time.
Charles Lloyd is known for mixing music from different cultures into his songs. He started doing this in the late 1950s. He says his music has "danced on many shores."
Taking a Break and Returning
During the 1970s, Lloyd mostly stepped away from the jazz scene. He practiced Transcendental Meditation and played a lot with The Beach Boys. He recorded music at Brian Wilson's home studio. Some of these recordings appeared on Lloyd's 1971 album Warm Waters. Lloyd was also part of a band called Celebration, which included members of The Beach Boys.
Lloyd came back to jazz in 1981. He toured with pianist Michel Petrucciani. This return was called "one of the events of the 1980s" by a British jazz critic. After this tour, Lloyd again went back to Big Sur.
In 1986, after a serious illness, Lloyd decided to focus on music again. In 1988, he formed a new quartet with Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson. When he played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1988, a critic said he seemed to have a "thoroughly original" musical grace.
Recording with ECM and Blue Note
In 1989, Lloyd started recording for ECM Records. His albums for ECM include Fish Out of Water and The Water Is Wide. He also made Which Way Is East, an album of duets with his friend, Billy Higgins.
In 2011, ECM released Athens Concert. This album was recorded live with Greek singer Maria Farantouri at the Herodion Theater in Athens.
In 2013, Lloyd celebrated his 75th birthday with concerts in New York City and Washington, D.C. In 2015, he received the NEA Jazz Masters Award, a very high honor in jazz. He was also honored at the 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival.
In January 2015, Lloyd signed with Blue Note Records. His album Wild Man Dance was released in April 2015. In July 2015, he received an honorary music degree from the Berklee College of Music. In 2016, he was added to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
Since 2015, Lloyd has recorded many albums for Blue Note. His 2024 album, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow, was chosen as album of the year by DownBeat critics. In 2024, Charles Lloyd was also elected into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Charles Lloyd lives in Southern California with his wife, Dorothy Darr.
Filmography
- The Monk and the Mermaid - A documentary film by Fara C & Giuseppe De Vecchi - 2008
- Arrows Into Infinity - A film by Dorothy Darr & Jeffery Morse - 2013
- LOVE LONGING LOSS - At Home with Charles Lloyd During a Year of the Plague - A film by Dorothy Darr - 2021
See also
In Spanish: Charles Lloyd para niños
