Which Way Is East

Artist: Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins
Label: Ecm Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 2

UPC: 602498117965
EAN: 0602498117965
ASIN: B0001GCMWW

Release Date: 2004-03-30

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Tracks:

What Is Man
Divans
Salaam
All This Is That

Tracks:

Desire
Devotion
Light of Love

Similar Items:

Jumping the Creek
Sangam
Forest Flower: Live in Monterey
Hyperion With Higgins
Canto

Customer Reviews:

Stunning.......2005-02-10

What an extraordinary two & half hour ride. A musical journey of grace and beauty made vital by the spiritual connection these two muscians so palpably have. Indeed, I felt as if I were eavesdropping on a private conversation. I am very greatful that they decided to let us in on it. Hambe Kahle Billy

Masterpiece.......2004-05-12

There is not much to say, you will just have to listen. Higgins and Lloyd create a magical fusion of spiritual jazz. Sad and at the same time happy, extraodrinarly dynamic - Which Way Is East is a definitive album that proves itself worth of a "must-have" title for every contemporary jazz listener.

Undisputed Masterpiece.......2004-05-03

Words fail to convery the depth and magnitude of this
recording. If you appraoch this as a "jazz"
listener, it might narrow your experience - true they
cover all territories one might expect in jazz - improvization,
rhythm, unusual, beautiful compositions, - but it is so
much more than that. It immediately gets to the very essense
of what music and the highest forms of creative expression is about -
spirit. Yes, indeed, and these two men drive it home with
unselfconscious abandon - straight to the heart. Higgins
plays as we have never heard him with such unabashed joy and
surender - his singing is wonderful.
And one wonders why we have not heard Lloyd on alto
before this.? His alto voice/tone is a revelation. I disagree with those
who call his piano playing naive or undeveloped, the chords and flavors
he chooses are quite sophisticated. Even if it is a two disc set,
wouldn't we have been upset if it were any shorter and some jewel from these two masters had been left off?

Open ears, open heart.......2004-04-18

I was lucky enough to have been in San Francisco in November
1997 and caught a concert at the Masonic Auditorium where
Lloyd and Hggins performed in duo. It was an extraordinary
experience to see these two men, with the simplicity of the duo
format, steal the evening of music. ( they were follwed by Elvin
Jones group and Roy Haynes with his group) It was clear that their joy
in playing together was on another plain, and the sheer energy of that joy transported us all to great heights.

This recording takes that framework to a deeper and wider level
of exploration - and as a listener, I feel priveledged to be able
to hear their no holds barred conversation in music. It is bold and fearless,
soulful, tender, defiant. Higgins'singing in various languages reveals a side of him we never knew.
And to hear Lloyd on alto is a real ear opener. I had always heard rumor that he started on alto, but
had not heard him play one - his phrasing and articulation is distict, his tone is mellifluous and
edgy too - and the melodies he plays are haunting. The drum and saxophone duos ( both on alto and tenor )
are not to be missed. An extraordinary document, not to be missed. Do not hesitate to buy this recording -
right down to the packaging and the booklet, which transcribes a conversation between
the two - is great.

Endgame.......2004-04-17

Two months before Billy Higgins' death, the drummer & Charles Lloyd say their musical farewells with the tapes rolling (courtesy Lloyd's partner Dorothy Darr, who also made a film of proceedings). They play sax/drums duets (Lloyd mostly on alto, in fitting homage to Ornette Coleman, though he also plays excellent Traneish tenor on three tracks); they perform exotic woodwind/percussion duets, with Lloyd on Tibetan oboe or flute; Higgins plays guimbri (the 3-stringed instrument used in Gnawa music), sings gently (& rather dodgily) in a variety of languages, even plays a blues on the guitar or does a 1960sish paean to love called "Take a Chance"; Lloyd adds short meditations at the piano. Some of these tracks don't mean much outside the context of this session--the piano solos get a bit too samey, & there's too much voice'n'guitar (though the blues is rather nice). Others are superb--the two long alto/drums duos (one on each disc) are great stuff, & Lloyd's tenor pieces are also superb (there's a nice Traneish blues on disc 2). The more exotic pieces are often quite ravishing. I suppose that many listeners will for sentimental reasons like having all this stuff, the unalloyed good tracks as well as those that only acquire real significance in the face of Higgins' own personal tragedy. I'm less sentimental when it comes to what goes on my stereo: I could have wished for a carefully selected single CD of the highlights, which would have been a genuinely outstanding disc. Four stars as a compromise rating seems about right. This isn't a disc for the casual listener, but for those willing to bear with a few qualitative dips & peaks, it'll prove a rewarding release.

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