The Artistry of… Charles Lloyd
A PopMatters article says this about Charles Lloyd: “Despite early success, the recorded evidence is that Lloyd — at 80 — is in his mature prime.” Mature prime… I like that. It sounds like one of the Transformers, fighting on the good side.
The comparison is sweetly fitting when you consider the strength of the artist’s integrity and artistry. He is a contemporary artistic master and has always been a master of all his contemporary times. Of the time, every time, he respectfully holds on to a foundational root element in the music he plays. He has never stopped looking for new ways and new creative sensations.
His work is alive. It’s a healthy and vital living thing, where you will find no stagnancy. His words are many over the years, including these: “I am still searching to find the sound. It is my path. I call myself a ‘sound seeker.’ The deeper I dive into the ocean of sound, I find there is still deeper and further to go.”