Charles Lloyd's latest album, "Sangam & Friends," released in July 2026, serves as a tribute to the celebrated Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain, who passed away in 2024. The album predominantly features recordings from a 2009 session in Mumbai, India, which was initially intended for an album that remained incomplete. These sessions captured a unique musical collaboration, expanding on Lloyd's trio, Sangam, which included Hussain and American drummer Eric Harland.
The 2009 Mumbai recordings incorporated a diverse group of Indian musicians, such as Carnatic singer Vijay Prakash, Rakesh Chaurasia on bansuri, Sabir Khan on sarangi, Ranjit Barot on keyboard, and Niladri Kumar on sitar and electric sitar. Additional tracks, including the single "Jai Ganga," were drawn from the Sangam archives to complete the album. The album reflects Lloyd's long-standing connection to Eastern spirituality and Indian culture, a fascination that began in 1957 when he first heard Ravi Shankar and Alla Rakha.
Dorothy Darr, the album's producer, highlights the profound impact of Lloyd's 2009 trip to India, noting how the vibrant culture of Mumbai resonated deeply with the musicians. While the expanded ensemble sessions in Mumbai brought together jazz and Indian traditions, some critics, like Mark Kidel of The Arts Desk, suggested that the tracks featuring just the core Sangam trio (Lloyd, Hussain, and Harland) demonstrated a more cohesive and synchronous sound. Nonetheless, the album is rated highly, with Uncut Magazine giving it an 8/10, recognizing it as an "Indo-jazz treasure."
