Jazz

Charles Lloyd
The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
Blue Note 5816794; LP: 5816796 (two discs)

In 2022, the saxophonist offered Trio Of Trios, three albums with different musicians each time. But Lloyd had already conceived the new super-quartet that convened to record this double album in early 2023, around the time of his 85th birthday. All the players have long associations with Lloyd, pianist Jason Moran featuring on Rabo de Nube in 2008, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade on 1999’s The Water Is Wide, for example. Along with new pieces like the optimistic, jauntily bluesy title track, Lloyd revisits and reworks earlier originals, as with the opening ‘Defiant, Tender Warrior’. Astonishing that an artist who made his name in the 1960s could still win polls in the 2000s, but deservedly so. SH

John Etheridge Blue Spirits
Live
Dyad Records DY033

While fronting Soft Machine through its decades of reunions and in its current revival, virtuoso guitarist John Etheridge has worked with many greats in many genres, and for 20 years he’s also led the trio here. With organist Pete Whittaker and drummer Geoff Double, there are lots of pyrotechnics and plenty of variety. Mal Waldron’s ‘Soul Eyes’ is a lush ballad, but there’s some fiery fusion, not to mention Etheridge’s take on Stevie Wonder’s ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers’ and a country excursion to Hank Williams’s ‘Cold Cold Heart’, before a well-paced set ends beautifully with Mingus’s ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’. Blues, jazz and rock in a special blend. SH

Liv Andrea Hauge Trio
Ville Blomster
Hubro HUBROCD2659; LP: HUBROLP3659

After studying at the Norwegian Academy, being inspired by Keith Jarrett, and making an impression with the six-piece Ladybird Orchestra, pianist Hauge joined the Europe Jazz Footprints scheme. Touring followed and her new trio gelled on the road; an initial home-recorded album is now followed by this one (Wild Flowers). On ‘Golden Rain’, with an engaging theme and tumbling rhythm, forthright bassist Georgia Wartel Collins takes the lead, while later the freeform ‘You And Me Baby’ is a feature for drummer August Glännestrand, bringing a hint of hip-hop. But Hauge has great melodic sense and her light touch makes her music fresh and appealing. SH

Radhika de Saram
From The Crow’s Nest
Rainy Days Records RAINY019CD; LP: RAINY019LP

Classically-trained de Saram is firstly a violinist, but a few years ago, after seeing Russian-born saxophonist Zhenya Strigalev and his trio, she bought a bass guitar. She then wrote the music for this first album, its title reflecting the lockdown stasis, the pieces invoking her Sri Lankan heritage along with urban influences. The recording was made in St Petersburg in 2021 but mixed in London, Strigalev himself the main soloist, his usual hard-bop idiom happily taking on an eastern tinge. There is wild synth from Elliott Galvin, but also heard are Russians Rodion Grischenko (guitar), Evgeny Ponomarev (keys) and Garry Bagdasaryan (drums). A great debut. SH