At 86, Lloyd remains a master storyteller, his saxophone imbued with a rare combination of gravitas and playfulness. Backed by his extraordinary quartet—Jason Moran on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums—Lloyd delivers a double album that feels alive with both memory and possibility.
The opener “Defiant Tender Warrior” sets the tone, a piece that drifts between gentle contemplation and bold surges of energy. Lloyd’s tenor voice is fluid and unforced, Moran’s piano rippling in response, while Blade’s nuanced drumming quietly drives the ensemble forward. The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow also finds moments of playful exuberance, such as “Monk’s Dance,” where Moran’s rhythmic ingenuity and Blade’s sly accents egg Lloyd on to a riotous, joyful climax.
Some of the album’s most compelling moments come in its quieter, autumnal passages. “The Water Is Rising” highlights Lloyd’s command of the flute, its plaintive tones evoking both Native American song and his own otherworldly musings. “The Lonely One,” revived here from Trios: Ocean, shimmers with introspection, Grenadier’s bass grounding the tune as Moran and Lloyd float above in perfect harmony.
The album’s title feels like a quiet reassurance—a reminder of permanence amidst life’s impermanence. The closer, “When the Sun Comes Up, Darkness Is Gone,” delivers just that, a serene parting thought from a band at its peak. The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow is not just a showcase for Lloyd’s enduring artistry; it is a celebration of music’s ability to hold time still, to reflect life’s struggles and joys with transcendent clarity.
