In the 1970s, saxophonist Charles Lloyd (1938) retreated to the town of Big Sur, immersing himself in transcendental meditation. Earlier, at the 1966 Monterrey Jazz Festival, he set himself apart by mixing Eastern music with modal jazz. This led to performances in a number of rock temples, and he even featured on the Beach Boys' Surf's Up. In the early 1980s, pianist Michel Petrucciani brought him back to the jazz scene. Lloyd had already enjoyed an impressive career by that time, initially having a sniff at the blues, and later moving within jazz and avant-garde circles. Music is a mystical event for him, and Lloyd gradually became recognized as an ‘elder statesman’ of jazz. After his successful double album The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (2024), there was another double release, the impressive Figure In Blue in 2025. Charles Lloyd's motto is “Go forward”, and he still does exactly that, with fierce intent.
