Search - Charles Lloyd, Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers :: Rabo de Nube

A real pleasure

James Ferguson | Vilnius, Lithuania | 11/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Charles Lloyd with this quartet last year so it was a real pleasure to find a live recording. He has done so much over the years, from his ever-popular Forest Flower to his recent foray with Zakir Hussain on Sangam. I'm not quite sure what amazon means by "first live quartet album," as he has recorded many live albums, including one of my favorites, A Night In Copenhagen, in 1983.



There are so many good things to say about this recording. It flows naturally and beautifully from start to finish with Lloyd never seeming to miss a beautiful note. He has to have one of the purest tones in jazz. Jason Moran is a wonderful addition to the quartet, replacing Geri Allen on piano. Eric Harland is first rate on drums and Reuben Rogers fills out the young rhythm section on bass. Lloyd presides over the group like a divining force, drawing on a rich legacy of music from the mighty Prometheus to the title song, Rabo de Nube. Lloyd seems a natural on the world stage as he has long had a global vision, having broken the iron curtain many years ago with his band in Tallinn (1970) that included Keith Jarrett and Jack de Johhnette."

Okay, but doesn't live up to the hype

the way I see it | Midwest | 05/04/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD based upon the glowing reviews on Amazon and thought that I was missing out on something spectacular. But I wasn't. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the music more if I had come across it and had no expectations, which sometimes happens when a movie takes me completely by surprise because I haven't heard anything about it one way or the other, or I even have low expectations.



But having my expectations elevated by the five-star reviews, when it came down to the actual listening I found that the music didn't come close to matching the hype. That's just my opinion (I still respect and appreciate the reviewers, though I don't agree with their opinions, and they, no doubt, don't agree with mine). In fact, what catches my ear on this "okay" CD is bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, not Lloyd or Moran. Harland is especially captivating (he and Bill Stewart are two drummers I could listen to nearly endlessly).



I'm sure it was fun to hear this group live, but I can't see myself spinning this CD very often. Some music requires repeated listening to get; other music draws the listener to play it again and again because of how compelling and beautiful it is. The music on this CD does neither--at least for me. For now, it falls in the "one and done" category. Again, I think elevated expectations hampered what I heard. Maybe I'll give it another listen in a month or six and see if I have a different reaction. I realize that musical opinions are quite subjective, and it often comes down to personal preferences. Maybe my review provides a measure of balance to the glowing ones, and perhaps a potential buyer will think twice before shelling out his or her money for this overrated CD. Peace out."

In top form

Case Quarter | CT USA | 09/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
charles lloyd exhibits generosity and grace in not bringing the musical proceedings to a halt after jason moran establishes his presence with his first note, and moran never lets up. jason moran is lloyd's prometheus and this is probably one of his finest recordings, after going down some dull roads jason moran is back on track. the virtuosity displayed on earlier solo performances and on his recording featuring sam rivers, finds its fit as part of charles lloyd's quartet in arrangements as evenly distributive of work by the four players as displayed by the members of coltrane's quartet on a love supreme. not that you need to time the solos of the players, given a listen the balance is evident.



on the second selection, migration of spirit, lloyd again evokes coltrane, in a different context, as player nodding to coltrane's rendition of nature boy, and his own rendition on jumping the creek of gloomy sunday.



included by the united states poet laureate, charles simic, is a poem in the linear notes entitled `two for lloyd', a title, i would guess, inspired by by archie shepp's four for trane and marion brown's three for shepp, simic's two quartets, the first composed in quatrains, reflecting a poetic formal homage of the musical group setting.



here, simic's on top, moran's on top, lloyd's on top, and the quartet's all it's should be. or, arguably, for those who like to argue about such matters, maybe not, in which case, i eagerly await their next recording. but come what may, this is the recording for now worth hearing and having.

"