Pieces of a Dream

Pieces of a Dream play Middle C Jazz on Friday, January 29, and Saturday, January 30, 2027, with two shows each night. It's a jazz set from a group that's been around since the early eighties, and if you've never heard the name, it helps to know where they started.

The band formed in Philadelphia when childhood friends pianist James Lloyd and drummer Curtis Harmon first recorded together in 1981. They spent some time in Grover Washington Jr.'s rhythm section before signing with the late saxophonist and releasing three albums in quick succession: Pieces of a Dream in 1981, We Are One in 1982, and Imagine This in 1983. Those early records gave them hits like "Warm Weather," "Mount Airy Groove," and "Fo Fi Fo."

Over four decades they've sold more than a million albums, and The Philadelphia Inquirer called them "Pioneers of Smooth Jazz." These days they're playing with saxophonist Anthony Watson, Jr. as an official partner, and they describe their sound as a blend of jazz, R&B, funk, pop, and blues. That mix is a good way to get a sense of what to expect—it's jazz that doesn't stay in one lane, leaning as much on the groove as it does on the improvisation.

So, if you're into jazz that pulls from R&B and funk, this is one to keep on your radar. Pieces of a Dream at Middle C Jazz, January 29–30, 2027.