In the context of Charles Lloyd’s storied musical life, the Marvels might be viewed as a late-breaking “party band” venture. Contrasting the revered veteran’s long-standing format of a Coltrane-ish acoustic quartet, the Marvels finds Lloyd in cahoots with tasteful electric guitar maestro Bill Frisell, pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz, Reuben Rogers often opting for electric
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Tone Poem, their third release, sans vocals, amounts to their strongest, most unified statement on record. At times, Lloyd’s gospel and R&B sensibilities come full circle, illuminating the Memphis-bred musician’s early gigging with Bobby “Blue” Bland, Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King; his seminal Memphis soul training; and his ’70s brushes with the Beach Boys. More historical looping shows up with the opening one-two punches of Lloyd’s erstwhile jamming partner Ornette Coleman’s “Peace,” done up in a painterly, loose-limbed fashion, and a groove-lined take on “Ramblin.’” The empathetic Lloyd-Frisell dialogue recalls the partnership of the saxophonist with guitarist Gabor Szabo, especially on the title track and “Lady Gabor.”
Leisz’s pealing timbres shine bright on “Monk’s Mood” (also a highlight for Lloyd’s testifying tenor) and “Ay Amor,” and Lloyd’s penchant for “singing” through his horn comes to the fore on Leonard Cohen’s classic “Anthem.”
Tone Poem benefits from a steady glow, an advancing band aesthetic and a “groovular” pep in the step. It comes to a contemplative conclusion with “Prayer,” the album’s closing track offered as a benediction at a time sorely in need of one. — Josef Woodard
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