BOBBY LYLE
Hands On
Heads
Up
Memphis-born pianist Bobby Lyle has had a
long and distinguished career in jazz, fusion, pop, R&B,
and smooth jazz. Lyle’s family moved to Minneapolis
when he was only five or six, and he commenced to seriously
studying the piano. Eventually his playing, honed by exposure
to the recordings of musicians like Erroll Garner, Oscar
Peterson, McCoy Tyner, and Ahmad Jamal, got him club dates
in Minneapolis, until he hit the road several years later
with Young-Holt Unlimited, an outfit led by two ex-members
of Ramsey Lewis’ band. That’s interesting, because
Lyle also shares some attributes with Lewis: the ability
to play simply but elegantly, a down home blues/gospel style
that really connects with people, and a dignified presentation
that instantly commands respect.
Lyle’s ongoing career reads like a
movie script. He was to have been part of a jazz/rock fusion
band led by Jimi Hendrix that would have included Willie
Weeks and Bill Lordan, a group that never was due to Hendrix’
death later that same year. Lyle relocated to Los Angeles
and toured for nine months with Sly and the Family Stone
followed by a stint with Ronnie Laws. He signed a recording
deal with Capitol and cut three albums before Capitol
folded its jazz division. Lyle went back
to touring (he has served as musical director on tours for
Anita Baker. Al Jarreau, and is longstanding musical director
for Bette Midler), until the 1990s, when he signed with
Atlantic and produced a string of successful recordings.
On Hands On, his latest release,
Lyle continues to serve up top-notch, crowd pleasing funky,
R&B laced, smooth yet satisfying music. Leading off
with “Passion Drive” Lyle plays everything (piano,
keyboards, and programming) with the exception of saxophone
(Dave Caseras) and guitar (Todd Paranow), and the results
are laid back yet not devoid of funky soul. Next Lyle adds
a second guitar, bass, and a horn section for the Maurice
White/Al McKay classic “Best of My Love,” with
a vocal trio providing the right touches at the right moments.
This is polished and sophisticated, but not dull or lifeless.
On “Hands On” Bobby plays a really nice acoustic
piano solo, one that at times recalls Joe Sample.
“Lost In Our Love” is a straightforward
modern R&B production, featuring Peabo Bryson, who co-wrote
the tune with Lyle. For anyone who enjoys romantic R&B
singing from artists like Luther, Jeffrey Osborne, or Peabo
Bryson, this track is going to be a highlight of the CD.
Other standout tracks include ‘Poinciana,” a
song whose beautiful, somewhat exotic melody is well served
by the romantic arrangement here, and a hot run through
Michael McDonald’s gospel/soul song “Minute
By Minute.” The latter part of the disc relies heavily
on Lyle originals, but there is plenty here that will hold
the listener’s attention, despite not being familiar
with the songs. “True Spirit” is a solid track
that combines soulful piano with Caribbean rhythms. Latin
rhythms figure prominently in “El Paquito,”
as one might expect, but the piece is light and airy, featuring
Brennen Nase on acoustic guitar. “Return of the Genie”
references a classic Lyle composition, “The Genie”
from his Capitol album of the same name. It has a nice,
contemporary funky feel with great synth accents. The closing
number, “Beth” begins like a standard radio
R&B song, but it becomes much freer as it progresses.
As you listen to Bobby Lyle playing the beautiful melody
and orchestrating the lush background synths, you realize
that Lyle is one smooth, talented, and Hands On kind of
guy.
