Pieces of a Dream – In The Moment (2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 00:51:10 minutes | 568 MB | Genre: Jazz, Fusion, R&B
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Source: HDTracks | @ Shanachie Entertainment
In the world of jazz, commodities are fleeting. Styles come and go. Artists at the top of this week’s charts could be history by the end of next month. Words like “staying power” and “longevity” are for anyone or anything that sticks around for more than a couple years.
But then there are those rare few, gifted with the right stuff, who hang in for the long haul – musical collectives that continue to explore and evolve album after album, year after year, decade after decade, eschewing fashion and fad and reaching instead for something much more permanent. This is the story of Pieces of a Dream, a contemporary jazz band that opens the next chapter in a career that spans more than three decades.
The R&B legends are at their creative best with In The Moment, an inspired celebration of their 20th album!
Core and founding members James Lloyd and Curtis Harmon refer to In the Moment as the 20th Pieces of a Dream album. Instead of hosting a guest-filled blowout, they keep it simple with familiar associates, guitarist Rohn Lawrence, saxophonist Tony Watson Jr., and bassist David Dyson. The duo also receive a little assistance from a handful of additional musicians, including Shanachie label stalwart Chris “Big Dog” Davis. An all-instrumental set apart from some talkbox on “New Jazz Swing,” In the Moment features a handful of cuts that should remain in the group’s live repertoire for years. “Steppers ‘D’ Lite” and “TTYL (I’m Driving),” two of the album’s most energized songs, combine live instrumentation and programmed rhythms with as much finesse as anything from their ’80s releases. Dyson’s bass and Lloyd’s piano shine brightest on “For Real,” one of several typically melodic ballads, while Lawrence is showcased throughout “Never Let It End,” where he provides a pair of graceful lines. This is another modest, kicked-back release from the group. –AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman
Tracklist:
1 In The Moment 5:29
2 For Real 4:46
3 Steppers “D” Lite 4:25
4 Misty-Eyed 4:35
5 TTYL (I’m Driving) 5:04
6 People Say 3:40
7 NewJazz Swing 3:40
8 Under The Inflence (Of Pieces) 4:26
9 Never Let It End 5:51
10 Coming Home 5:17
11 There Will Never Be Another You 3:57
Personnel:
James K. Lloyd – keyboards, piano, synthesizer
Curtis Harmon – keyboards, drum programming, percussion
Rohn Lawrence – guitar
Tony Watson Jr. – saxophone
Chris Davis – keyboards
David Dyson – bass, keyboards, drum programming
Robert “Boots” Pickard, Bennie Simms – drum programming
Download: