They don’t reissue a lot of material, but when Resonance Records owner George Klabin puts something out, it sure is a gem. Last year we got a cooking Wes Montgomery set as well as a vintage Bill Evans Trio set that was on just about everyone’s Top Ten list. This time out, we get a 2 disc set from Charles Lloyd’s 1965 band of gabor Szabo’/g, Ron Cartr/b and Pete La Roca Sims/dr caught at two nights in NYC circa 1965. One gig at Judson Hall has three songs running from around 12 minutes to just over 17, so everyone gets to stretch out. The other gig is at the famous/infamous Slugs’ Saloon, where “Lady Gabor” is repeated, but not imitated, with Lloyd’s flute and Szabo’s exotic guitar creating some sublimely enchanting sounds while Carter and Sims develop a caravan of rhythm. On tenor, Lloyd shows his debt but not impersonation of Coltrane on the outreaching and yearning “Sweet Georgia Bright.” He digs deep into his southern roots on “Slug’s Blues,” and tells sensitive stories of yearning on ”How Can I Tell You.” Szabo gets lots of opportunities to display his gypsy blood, and Carter with La Roca Sims form an elastic line that bends, but never breaks. This is music that still sounds both fresh, personal and explorative.
Resonance Records