Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd At Monterey (Live)

1968, junior year college. All hell is breaking out. Then, this recording. Peace, love, happiness. Extraordinary ensemble. Extraordinary performance.

Completely agree with other reviews, a glorious pivotal moment in jazz, captured in time. Also check out "Man From Two Worlds" by Chico Hamilton Quartet for an earlier, more rhythmically oriented version of Forest Flower Sunrise/Sunset.

When the Charles Lloyd Quartet stepped onto the stage at Monterey in 1966, the crowd had been listening to Rock and Folk. Lloyd and company gave them something else to blow their minds. This album is epic, especially in the context of where Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette took their careers. This album stands on its' own and still gives us a great look back at the earlier part of their careers. The title song, Forest Flower is broken into 2 parts of interpretive jazz; Sunrise and Sunset. They are played contiguously and are brilliant ensemble playing.

An absolute classic live jazz album. Tempo, pace, intensity and ease, it takes you on a wonderful ride. Even the audience response is terriffic. A must have.

This is a must have classic. I was actually there at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival (you can hear airplanes during some of the soft passages). He brought the house down. His sax is forceful, driving, then soft, melodic and haunting. The pinging sounds at the end is Keith reaching into the piano and finger plucking strings like a harp or some African instrument. The crowd goes wild. This propelled Charles Lloyd career which has been under-estimated and under-appreciated. But probably just as important, it later launched the most memorable career of Keith Jarrett who enjoyed much greater success and wider acclaim. This was a rare momemt in time. There are many classics such as this that are not available on CD. This one is a must have for any serious jazz lover.

One of the greatest live albums (in any genre) of all time. "Forest Flower - Sunset" remains as stunningly beautiful today, after hundreds of listens, as it was when I first heard it four decades ago. While best known today as the concert when the world first took notice of a scrawny kid named Keith Jarrett on piano, Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd at Monterey remains a supreme example of what happens when four musicians work together in perfect harmony.

Phenomenal, free-flying playing by everyone on this recording. Most impressive to think that Keith Jarrett was a mere 21 years old on this recording date (1966). Listen to him pull out all the stops on the title track. I only wish the entire recording were available.