Overview
“Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd at Monterey” is a live album recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival on September 18th, 1966 by Charles Lloyd, an American jazz saxophone/flute player born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1938.
Commentary
The album was released in 1967 by Atlantic Records.
Performed by the quartet of Charles Lloyd (tenor saxophone, flute), Keith Jarrett (piano), Cecil McBee (bass), and Jack DeJohnette (drums).
Though it is an avant-garde jazz album that incorporated the element of free jazz under the influence of John Coltrane, it is accessible because it includes melodic compositions and light bossa nova rhythms.
This album was supported not only by jazz fans but also by young rock fans at that time, and became a popular crossover hit that sold over a million copies.
Young Keith Jarrett’s imaginative performance like a gushing spring is remarkable.
The first two title tracks are Charles Lloyd’s original compositions in the suite form. The tracks Nos. 3 and 4 were recorded at the studio. The track No.4 “Song of Her” composed by Cecil McBee is a beautiful song like John Coltrane’s “Naima”.
