Chapel by Charles Lloyd is a beautiful, delicate album ★★★★☆

American tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd may be 84 years old, but he seems more active than ever. Next Sunday he can be admired at North Sea Jazz with guitarist Bill Frisell in his band and last month he announced no fewer than three live albums for this year, made in three different trio formations. The first, chapel he recorded in 2018 at Coates Chapel in the Texas city of San Antonio with Bill Frisell (guitar) and Thomas Morgan on bass.

Trios: Chapel is a beautiful, delicate albumwhich begins breathtakingly beautiful with Billy Strayhorns Blood Count† It was Strayhorn’s swan song in 1967, beautifully played by Johnny Hodges. Lloyd’s famous sense of melody emerges beautifully in this new version, but the fragility of the composition is also further underlined by the tender interplay of Frisell and Morgan. They have been playing together for years and know how to find each other effortlessly. A drummer is not missed, not even in the almost equally beautiful four pieces that follow. Lloyd can still be heard on alto flute, but it is his flowing playing on tenor sax that impresses the most.