Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Kitt Lyles: Real Talk

Kitt Lyles: Real Talk

By Mark Sullivan
May 20, 2016
View read count

For his debut recording bassist/composer

Kitt Lyles

bass
b.1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Kitt Lyles draws on his love for the jazz tradition, as well as southern folk and blues. A South Carolina native now residing in Chicago, he leads a working sextet (with one additional player on two tracks) through a varied program of originals. The title tune is built on a vamp, with guitarist

Hans Luchs

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Hans Luchs and tenor saxophonist

Roy McGrath

saxophone, tenor
b.1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy McGrath opening, joined by the trumpeter Justin Copeland. "Snowfall On Carolina" is an upbeat swing tune, with what must be a "snow day" feel, since everything shuts down in the Carolinas when there's more than a minor snowfall.

"Though the Steady Hand May Tremble" is hymn-like, showing the southern folk influence, while "Moving Forward, Looking Backward" is solidly in the bop tradition, a fast tune which includes a round of solos trading eights. When Lyles and company play the blues they get down to the roots with an extended sequence of "Blues for the Mountain" (featuring an extended solo bass introduction by Lyles) and "Can't Keep Living This Way." Guitarist Luchs stays in jazz mode, resisting the temptation to hit the overdrive pedal and go gritty, but the band really goes for the blues feeling. The album closes with "A Desperate Heart's Last Stand," a return to a mainstream jazz sound—an effective bookend to the opening track.

A solid debut. Lyles is a composer and arranger with something to say, supported by a strong, well-balanced band.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Gone by Now; Snowfall on Carolina; Real Talk; Though the Steady Hand May Tremble; Moving Forward, Looking Backward; Blues for the Mountain; Can��t Keep Living This Way; A Desperate Heart��s Last Stand.

Personnel

Kitt Lyles

bass

Kitt Lyles: leader, bass; Justin Copeland: trumpet; Rajiv Halim: alto sax (1, 3); Roy McGrath: tenor sax; Hans Luchs: guitar; Joaquin Garcia: piano; Gustavo Cortinas: drums.

Album information

Title: Real Talk | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Saluda Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

A Matter Of Instinct
< Previous

All My Treasures
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.