Pieces of a Dream put it all together

The jazz band displayed its prowess in a variety of styles.
By JOHN PATRICK GATTA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NILES -- Pieces of a Dream co-founder James Lloyd makes no apologies that his band plays smooth jazz. To him it's nothing more than a hybrid of the sounds he grew up with in the early 1970s -- jazz and R & amp;B.
Saturday at the Center Stage Bar & amp; Grille, Lloyd, his Pieces co-founder Curtis Harmon and the group's five other members brought out much more than expected.
The slick grooves contained on the band's latest release, "No Assembly Required," make for easy listening but proved no match for the force and power of their onstage representation.
"Yeah Baby" from the recently released CD started and finished the 100-minute set. The studio version could induce your head to bop along to the soothing beat. In concert, the song had a power and energy more akin to a jazz funk act, especially due to the tandem of Harmon and bassist Gerald Veasley. Its reprise showcased Lloyd's superlative and showy skills on keyboards. He improvised inside and out of the number's melodic theme while playing in front of and behind his KORG set up a la Jimi Hendrix playing a guitar in its normal position and behind his back.
Multiple directions
Sandwiched between that number were examples of the directions Pieces of a Dream are able to sculpt on behalf of the group's creative desire -- R & amp;B, jazz, gospel and funk. To achieve this, it traveled through its catalog, playing a handful of numbers from the new album as well as reaching back to the band's 1981 self-titled debut.
The contributions from the rest of Pieces of a Dream added dimension to many of the evening's 15 songs. Saxophonist Eddie Bacchus Jr. not only provided strong melodic thrust but a number of scorching hot solos during every opportunity.
Veasley played the role of solid rhythmic foundation and then flashed the depth of his abilities when he performed the title track from his album "On the Fast Track."
Vocalist Tracy Hamlin showed off her mighty pipes on four songs including the classic "My Funny Valentine" and Earth, Wind & amp; Fire's "Devotion."
Lloyd may need to teach 20-year old keyboardist Lamar Gaines how to loosen up and enjoy himself onstage, but the young gun displayed that he can hold his own performing with his elders.
Guitarist Rick Ward of Youngstown, who worked with Arrested Development and its main creative force Speech, provided strong support. Obviously, the pieces of this music puzzle fit together very well in a performance that subtly moved to its peak, leaving the audience on its feet, exhausted and refreshed.