At 86, Charles Lloyd remains every bit the master storyteller, his saxophone full of wisdom and mischief. Backed by yet another phenomenal quartet—Jason Moran on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums—Lloyd delivers a solid double album that shows he has not lost his touch, far from it.
The opener, “Defiant Tender Warrior,” sets the tone nicely and firmly here. It drifts between tender sighs from Lloyd’s tenor and warm bursts of energy from his band. Moran’s piano ripples alongside him, while Blade’s subtle, dynamic drumming keeps everything moving. The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow makes room for moments of pure uninhibited joy—like “Monk’s Dance,” where Moran and Blade’s sly rhythmic accents seem to nudge Lloyd toward a wild, ecstatic finish.
But it’s the quieter moments that really stay with you. “The Water Is Rising” highlights Lloyd’s flute playing—plaintive and haunting, like something between a prayer and a memory.
The title, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow, feels like a soft promise—that even as life changes, some things endure. The closing track, “When the Sun Comes Up, Darkness Is Gone,” leaves you with that same feeling—a peaceful kind of exhale.
This a special album from Lloyd—It holds space for joy and loss, for what’s fleeting and what lasts. It’s honest, soulful, and deeply human—just like Lloyd himself. We are lucky to have him around.
