Charles Lloyd Ocean II

The critical consensus is that Charles Lloyd has never sounded better. The depth of his expression reflects a lifetime of experience. Credited by many musicians with anticipating the World Music movement as early as the late 1950s, Charles Lloyd describes his music as having always "danced on many shores."

Over six decades, his compositions have punctuated the post-bop period, embraced the traditional music of a host of world cultures and enlivened the psychedelic 1960s with avant-garde improvisation. Lloyd was invited to guest on recordings with the Doors, the Birds, The Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys. He made his first recording for ECM Records, “Fish Out of Water” in 1989.

Lloyd has long been a free spirit, master musician, and visionary. He has loomed large over the music world, and at 84 years old he remains at the height of his powers and as prolific as ever. Early on Lloyd saw how placing the improvised solo in interesting and original contexts could provoke greater freedom of expression and inspire creativity, and throughout his remarkable career he has searched for alternative ways to frame his improvisational skills.