The Curious Case of Charles Lloyd – this is how you could paraphrase the title of a short story by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, as in recent years this acclaimed saxophonist has been so professionally active, as if the passage of time worked only in his favour. The whole of 2023 is filled with concerts related to the celebration of his eighty-fifth birthday, and the number of projects he is involved in calls his age into question. A few months ago, he was once again named Artist of the Year in Downbeat magazine’s critics’ poll, making him the oldest winner of the prestigious, long-established ranking. The master of the saxophone, a friend of Jazztopad, still meets new challenges and continues to search, maybe even more intensively than ever.

Charles Lloyd will perform this time with his trio at the National Forum of Music, and it was the line-ups of three that were the axis of last year’s activities, for which American critics named him Artist of the Year. In the catalogue of the legendary label Blue Note Records, three original albums of the artist were released, forming a mini-series with the neat name Trio of Trios. His latest phonographic productions have reminded us that the characteristic tone of Charles Lloyd is recognizable after one phrase and proved that it in no way interferes with the musical flexibility of the leader adapting to changing line-ups and styles, which feature on the albums Chapel, Ocean and Sacred Thread. 

Last year’s albums (except for Lloyd’s saxophone and flute) combine guitar sounds, although for each of them Lloyd invited a different guitarist. During the concert, we will hear Marvin Sewell, who has been active in the New York jazz environment for over three decades and who in his career has performed and recorded with artists from the jazz Olympus. As part of the concert closing this year’s festival, there will also be a special guest – Jakob Bro, a Danish guitarist, who will perform at the NFM with his band the day before. Gerald Clayton, one of the most exciting jazz pianists of recent years, will play the piano.