After 20 Years, Charles Lloyd to Play L.A.

Charles Lloyd would be a perfect subject for one of those “Where Are They Now?” stories.

The tenor saxophonist was one of jazz’s biggest stars in the late ‘60s, riding a wave of fame generated by such albums as “Forest Flower” and heralded appearances at such rock venues as the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. His quartet, featuring the emerging pianist Keith Jarrett, was bringing Lloyd financial success, too. “I was making some serious bucks in 1969,” about $250,000 a year, the saxophonist said recently.

But as his star was burning brightly, Lloyd stopped performing and beat a surprising and hasty retreat from the jazz world, sequestering himself first in a home in the Malibu Colony, then later on the Big Sur coast of Northern California (and finally in Montecito). He says now the death of his mother at the age of 54--Lloyd was 30 at the time--was instrumental in his abrupt lifestyle change.

“I walked away from a gold mine, but that wasn’t the most important thing in my life to me,” he said in a telephone interview from Montecito, where he lives most of the time, while still maintaining a home in Big Sur. “The inner call was so strong that I realized that if I didn’t deal with it, no amount of bread would make up for it.”

Lloyd makes his first Los Angeles nightclub appearance in more than 20 years Tuesday through Dec. 12, when he performs with pianist Cedar Walton’s trio (bassist David Williams and drummer Billy Higgins) at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood. He says during his seclusion, which lasted until the mid-1980s, he had not intended to return to active playing. But an unexpected visit from then-unknown French pianist Michel Petrucciani put a damper on his plans.

“This little Buddha in a small package showed up at my doorstep,” said Lloyd, referring to the diminutive Petrucciani, who has a rare bone disease. Lloyd formed a quartet that spotlighted Petrucciani, but after a couple of years, and some albums released on Blue Note Records, the saxophonist felt he wanted to return to his life of solitude.

Lloyd formed a quartet that spotlighted Petrucciani, but after a couple of years and some albums released on Blue Note Records, the saxophonist felt he wanted to return to his life of solitude. But Lloyd says he couldn’t. “I was lonely. I missed something about the life. That applause is like a narcotic.”

Lloyd says he felt like coming back in earnest in 1989, when he made “Fish Out of Water,” his first of three ECM albums. “It had been many years since I made a record I felt so personal about,” he said. “Something wonderful happened for me there, and I hope for the listeners.”

The saxophonist says playing with Higgins at Catalina’s will be like a homecoming. “When I was in school, we used to play at all-night jam sessions,” Lloyd said. “Billy always had an incredible swinging quality. He inspires you, and I’ve always loved that about him.”

Information: (213) 466-2210.

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Club Caravan: For Ken Poston, the most important aspect of KLON-FM’s Jazz Caravan isn’t the money, though it’s turned out to be a good fund-raiser for the nonprofit Long Beach station. No, it’s that people show up who might otherwise never go to a jazz club, says the producer of the event, which will be held Tuesday at 16 Los Angeles area jazz clubs.

The caravan shuttles fans by bus around town to such clubs as the Jazz Bakery in Culver City, Chadney’s in Burbank and Fifth Street Dick’s in Los Angeles. The event costs $10 in advance, and $15 if you buy your pass on the night of the caravan--all club admissions are included and none of the rooms has a drink minimum.

This season’s caravan is noteworthy for the high caliber of the artists performing and the fact that clubs in the Crenshaw district are being included for the first time. Fans will be able to see the B Sharp Jazz Quartet at the World Stage, Phil Vieux at Fifth Street Dick’s and Larry Gales and the Howlett Smith band at Marla’s.

“There are a lot of young musicians in town and many of them are playing in these clubs,” said Poston. “I think it’s important that people get a good idea of the club scene as a whole.”

Elsewhere, on the caravan, Art Farmer plays at the Jazz Bakery, SuperSax and pianist Ross Tompkins are at Miceli’s in Hollywood, Conte Candoli is performing at Club Brasserie in West Hollywood and Barbara Morrison sings at B. B. King’s in Universal City.

Information/tickets: (310) 985-5566.

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Still Sharp: With its debut album selling pretty solidly, the L.A.-based B Sharp Jazz Quartet is looking forward to more touring, both on the East and West Coasts. “In September, we played at Blues Alley in Washington, and in Baltimore,” says Herb Graham Jr., the band’s drummer and co-leader (with reedman Randall Willis). “But we haven’t played New York yet. It’s hard for a West Coast band to get established in New York, but we’re trying.”

B Sharp, along with Strangefruit and the Watts Prophets, appears on Saturday, 8 p.m., in a free concert at UCLA’s Wadsworth Theater.

In April or May, the band hopes to head to Europe, hopefully playing France, Belgium and Italy. “It’ll be a low-budget tour, but it will be good to get over there,” Graham says.

Information: (310) 825-2101.