THE LUDWIGSBURG CONCERT

Fictionary
Either Ornette
Chorinho
Lincoln Reviews His Notes
Hard Eights
Disbelief
Are We There Yet?
Au Lait
August

PLAYERS: Lyle (p), Bob Sheppard (s, f), Marc Johnson (b), Mark Walker (d)

REFLECTIONS

LYLE: That quartet really came together on that European tour. I was (and still am) very proud of how that quartet played with such precision and freedom at the same time. I loved playing with those guys and experiencing a band come together and then soar while on tour. There are no known photos of this concert, hell I'm not sure we even knew we were being recorded. We certainly played as if we didn't know (which is part of what I love about it all).

BOB SHEPPARD: I will forever be grateful for Lyle’s generosity and opportunity to play a European and Brazilian tour with his quartet, truly one of the highlights of my career. Every concert, Lyle performed as his life depended on it, a remarkable tour de force. Audiences were mesmerized and stunned at the power of his artistry.

MARC JOHNSON: This concert recording came out of a European tour Lyle put together with Mark Walker on drums and Bob Sheppard on saxophone in the early 1990s.  The tour was a blast and I remember Lyle got more courageous with his solo piano introductions and interludes as the tour went on, which you can readily hear on this recording. The music was always fun and creative. It was perhaps the last time I performed live with Lyle as our musical paths diverged soon after that. This album is remarkable for the recorded sound as well as the performances.  I am proud to be a part of it.

MARK WALKER: That group was really special but because of the unique experience everyone brought to the band. This was an environment in which we really stretched ourselves as fully as possible. Night after night, I was just amazed by what I heard, and I learned a lot from that experience about functioning in a truly open jazz group.