The name of Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet comes from his latest album The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow. This year will see the American saxophonist and flautist’s sixth visit to Wrocław, and the 22nd Jazztopad Festival will close with his concert.
Charles Lloyd possesses a touch of a tender warrior and priest: his music usually – though seldom directly – references the sacred, and his concerts, thanks to their solemn and joyful atmosphere, evoke a sense of quasi-religious celebration. This stems from the fact that spirituality is so important to Lloyd. “When you talk about music, love, truth, or God, you actually describe one phenomenon,” says he, adding: “There’s only one truth, but it can be described in different words. Music has a direct impact. I can speak words, but it’s the music that touches your heart. My goal is simplicity and clarity. I want to go deeper into the sound. Tone is incredibly important to me. I want to create music that speaks to people and heals. I’ve always been touched by the mysticism of sound, the way it affects us. I loved those great masters of sound who moved the listener and made you leave the concert better than upon arrival.”
Lloyd grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and his family was part of the local African American community. It is worth noting that he also has Irish and Mongolian roots, and his great-grandmother, Sally Sunflower Whitecloud, was Choctaw. Lloyd celebrated his eighty-seventh birthday this year, but he is by no means retiring. On the contrary, he continues to perform regularly, form new bands and release new material. He looks to the future and does not place much emphasis on his own achievements. When asked about his past, he succinctly replies: “I just try to move forward... I don't want to tell my story; let it speak for itself. I still feel like a kid, and the beautiful thing is to retain that feeling throughout my life.” He will perform in Wrocław with a lineup composed of musicians he’s played with for years. The new one on board is drummer Kweku Sumbry – he joined Lloyd only this fall but enjoys considerable renown in the Washington and New York jazz scenes.