Hyperion With Higgins

Charles Lloyd | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ecm Records
• ASIN: B00005ND33
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,081 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A journey, August 31, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Hyperion With Higgins (Audio CD)

I would have to disagree with the first review here, as to Lloyd being less melodic on this disc. Overall, it is less balladic, but less melodic? I'm afraid not! I highly recommend this recording which starts with a lilting ballad 'Big Sur to Bahia' (is this dedicated to Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil?) and makes a perfect segue out of the sister disc, The Water Is Wide.The next 3 songs build to the swinging title track which starts with an uptempo duo between Lloyd and Higgins. As is indicated with the cover art, this is the flip side of the recording session,and I think it is imperative to listen to both. The photos in the booklet of Hyperion tell a wonderful story as well.

Long time Lloyd fans (ECM and Atlantic) will find some old friends, 'Bharati' which we first heard on Fish Out of Water, and 'Miss Jessye'(which has become a standard in Lloyd's live performances) can be heard on Notes from Big Sur. Both new renditions are superb. I keep reading references and comparisons to Coltrane, but to my ears they have such different and distinctive sounds - the closest in appraoch is probably on 'Miss Jessye.' As on Water, the quality of sound is excellent and Lloyd's tone is warm and beautiful! Then, going back to one of my early favorite LPs, Dream Weaver - we hear 'Dervish Dance' retitled into the wonderful dancing 'Dervish On the Glory B.'

Typical of Lloyd recordings, he takes us on a journey and Hyperion is no exception. 'Darkness On the Delta Suite' is a major sub-journey... it is transforming. Abercrombie is amazing on this recording. Unlike Water, where we hear him on only a few but important tracks, here he is an incredible voice on almost all of the tracks - I especially love his playing on 'Darkness On the Delta.' Grenadier is heard more prominently throughout and is earthy and soulful. Mehldau sounds great as well. It is bitter sweet to realize that Higgins is no longer with us. We can hear him stirring the pots, adding special ingredients and flavors as only he can do, swinging all the while. It is not hard to imagine his beautiful smile. I am taking up a lot of space with my opinion, so I will end by saying that the last piece is a fitting end to this particular journey. 'The Caravan Moves On' has Lloyd playing the woody taragato, Higgins adds a tribal sounding percussion - it is poignant and haunting. These men are the music.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PERFECT, December 1, 2001

By 

U. Flathmann "JazzGuy" (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hyperion With Higgins (Audio CD)

I will get right down to the bottom:
This is one of the greatest recordings I know of. I owned Lloyd's "The water is wide" prior to this one and I was blown away especially by pieces such as "Georgia", "The water is wide" and "Prayer" (these are on "The water is wide" CD). This CD ("Hyperion with Higgins") continues the connection I have with the mentioned songs from "The water is wide" with every piece.
I honestly love each and every piece of this CD. What a genius in composing Charles Lloyd is. This CD truely proves it.
The musicians could not be a better match. Mehldau's piano goes underneath the skin and Abercrombie's guitar...if you know "Prayer" from "The water is wide", you know what I mean (no words necessary).
Then there is Larry Grenadier, who shows how to introduce a piece in "Bharati". If you have a decent sound system you will appreciate the great quality of this recording (I can hear Grenadier breathing).
Did I mention I like this CD? I listened to it a lot of times and every time I feel how the musicians enjoy playing with rythm and emotion.
Billy Higgins is a great drummer. It's sad that he passed away. It's great that he left us with his work as it is recorded on this CD.
This CD ranks very very high on my list. *****

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Passing of Higgins Makes This Disc Even More Important, August 27, 2001

By 

Jan P. Dennis "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hyperion With Higgins (Audio CD)

It's not as accessible as either The Water Is Wide or Voice in the Night, but there's some fine music on this, Higgins' last hurrah. Really an essential CD for anyone who admires these fine artists--who're generally at the top of their form--as well as the exceptional sidemen Abercrombie, Mehldau, and Grenadier, who's becoming one of the most in-demand young bassists. There's almost a jamming feel to much of this music, but that's OK because they're all such fine listeners and players. You might want to take a pass if you're expecting the more melodic side of Lloyd, although there's plenty of melody, but all others will want to have this transcendent disc.