Pieces of a Dream - Just Funkin' Around

Format: CD, MP3

Release Date: May 26, 2017

It’s been over forty years since Pieces of a Dream formed in Philly back in 1976—boy does time have a way of getting away from you when the musical quality is so sweet. Back in the day, the iconic jazz group included bassist Cedric Napoleon, drummer Curtis Harmon and keyboardist James Lloyd. While making their bones on the local jazz scene, Grover Washington Jr.–the ‘godfather’ of smooth jazz—took the three lads under his wing and taught them well.

Washington was a huge 76ers fan during the Moses Malone and Dr J. heyday, and at times would play his rendition of the national anthem on his sax. In 1983, the 76ers won the NBA championship. Moses Malone predicted a ‘fo,fo,fo ‘sweep, but instead, the team lost one game and it became the legendary ‘fo, five, fo’. Pieces of A Dream capitalized on 76ers mania and recorded a song titled, “Fo, Five, Fo”, which came to be known as their most successful single. “Mount Airy Groove” from the LP Imagine This another single was a staple at block parties that DJs would cut out to ample crowds. Now, it’s 2017 and POD is still on scene as a modern-day jazz duo due to Cedric Napoleon’s departure in 2001. Their new cd, Just Funkin’ Around, is POAD doing what they do best.

The collection is a ten track smooth-jazz-fan delight. The majority of the album blows out vintage POAD sound we all know and love, but the cut, “A New Day” is a change of pace for Pieces of a Dream that even I didn’t see coming. Nothing like a novel track to shake things up, and the group does it well. Perhaps Tony Watson Jr. on sax is the reason why? Watson also wrote the track “Manhattan”, which closes out the cd.

Pieces of a Dream isn’t trying to go hip on this CD. The artists know their lane and have no problem staying in it. After forty successful years in the game, who can argue their obviously skilled logic?

Reviewed by Eddie Bowman