BLUE CANOE RECORDS
  • Home
  • Radio
  • News
  • ARTISTS
    • See All Artists
    • Artist Of The Month
  • Releases
    • See All Releases
    • Album Of The Week
    • Song Of The Day
  • Social
    • See All Social
    • Playlists
    • TV
    • Video Of The Day
  • Store
  • BCR
    • About
    • Contact
    • Japanese Division
    • Licensing
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use

Uncommon Artist Lyle Workman

2/19/2021

Comments

 
Lyle WorkmanPhoto Credit Greg Vorobiov
Lyle Workman hasn’t just had a successful career—he’s had three. As a sideman and first-call session musician, he’s toured and recorded with everyone from Beck and Sting to Frank Black, Tony Williams  and Todd Rundgren; as a composer for film and television, he’s written music for box office blockbusters that have earned over a billion dollars worldwide, including Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall; and as a songwriter and solo artist, he’s written a hit single and earned praise from guitar heroes like Steve Vai and Steve Lukather. Now, Workman is set to bring all three of his disparate worlds together with “Uncommon Measures,” a stunning new instrumental collection featuring a 63-piece orchestra captured live at Abbey Road Studios in London.

“This record ties together all the different threads of who I am as an artist,” explains Workman. “It was four years in the making due to my film and TV schedule, but it’s really the culmination of a lifetime in music.”

Bursting at the seams with soaring arrangements and virtuosic performances, ‘Uncommon Measures’ plays like the score to some epic film from an alternate dimension, mixing elements of progressive rock, jazz fusion, and romantic classical music with gleeful abandon. The songs here are living, breathing entities, constantly growing and evolving in ways both subtle and drastic, and the production is similarly unpredictable, veering from larger-than-life bombast to whispered intimacy and back, sometimes within the very same track. Grand as the record is, though, it’s Workman’s eye for detail and gift for melody that remain front and center throughout. He paints vivid, emotional portraits on the album with his evocative guitar and keyboard work, crafting an immersive, cinematic universe plumbed entirely from the depths of his subconscious in spontaneous, improvised writing sessions. The result is a record as extraordinary as it is unexpected, a captivating, transportive song cycle that manages to scale the heights of joy and sadness, love and friendship, self-discovery and celebration, all without a single word.

“I’ve always felt like the muse is much more intuitive and in touch with my emotions than I am,” says Workman. “Writing these songs, I tried to just go into this tabula rasa state of mind, a meditative place where I could let the music tell me where to go.”

Indeed, music has been a faithful guide for much of Workman’s life. Born and raised in San Jose, California, he fell in love with The Beatles at an early age and taught himself guitar by listening to their records. While Workman’s tastes would expand over the years—Genesis and Yes brought him to Mahavishnu Orchestra and Miles Davis, which led him to Ravel and Debussy—he would always hold a special place in his heart for the simple pleasures of a perfectly crafted pop song. After studying music in college, Workman joined a band out of Sacramento called Bourgeois Tagg, which landed a deal with Island Records, and co-wrote the hit single “I Don’t Mind At All,” which climbed the charts on both sides of the pond and helped earn the group performances on the Tonight Show, Top Of The Pops, American Bandstand, and their European equivalents. Bourgeois Tagg proved to be a launching pad for Workman, who, after recording two albums with the band, soon began picking up work in the studio and on the road with a wide array of big-name artists.

“The great thing about being a sideman is that every gig is an education,” he reflects. “Whether I’m working with artists like Beck or Sting, Todd Rundgren or Frank Black, Norah Jones or Bryan Adams, they’re all worlds unto themselves, and playing with them is a chance to step inside their heads and understand how they create.”
PictureFrom L to R: Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Lyle Workman, Stanley Clarke. Photo Credit unknown
In many instances, the influence flowed both directions. Workman co-wrote songs on Sting’s ‘57th & 9th,’ for example, and composed the track “Machu Picchu,” which appeared on late jazz icon Tony Williams’ final album, ‘Wilderness.’ 

“I was a huge fan of Tony’s playing with Miles Davis and beyond,” says Workman, “so it totally blew my mind when he invited me to come to his place and start collaborating. We worked on ideas together for about a month, and when we recorded ‘Machu Picchu,’ we had Stanley Clarke and Herbie Hancock playing it with us. It was an incredible experience.” 

As a sideman, Workman learned what it took to help bring other artists’ visions to life, a skill set that also made him ideally suited for the world of film and television. Gigs writing commercial jingles gave way to composing jobs for indie films, which opened the door to major studio releases and a connection with Judd Apatow, who began hiring Workman to score his films and television series.
Successful as he became, though, something was still missing for Workman. He’d released a trio of well-received solo albums in the ’90s and early 2000s, but as his sideman and film composing careers exploded, he found that he had to put his own artistic visions on the backburner. 

“I absolutely love all the work I get to do with other artists and filmmakers,” he explains, “but sometimes you need to articulate your own thoughts and feelings as a writer, too. There’s a singular satisfaction that comes from creating something that’s a pure expression of yourself.”

Lyle Workman Uncommon Measures
And so Workman embarked on the epic journey that would become ‘Uncommon Measures,’ beginning at first by shutting off his mind and simply letting the music flow in his Los Angeles studio. From those improvised guitar and keyboard sessions, he began shaping discrete songs, some short and sweet, others clocking in at ten minutes and consisting of multiple suites and movements. Next, he assembled an all-star band to help flesh out the core material, tapping drummers Vinnie Colaiuta (Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa) and Matt Chamberlain (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) along with bassist Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie, Wayne Krantz) and pedal steel wizard Greg Leisz (Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne,) among other A-Listers. Finally, with the intoxicating grooves of a fully realized rhythm section in place, Workman began the lengthy back-and-forth process of creating orchestral arrangements with John Ashton Thomas, the orchestrator extraordinaire behind films like Black Panther and Captain Marvel.

“For the most part, I’d start with an orchestral mockup using computer samples, which John would then take and run with,” says Workman. “On the track ‘Arc of Life,’ though, I used guitar to map out the harmony and counterpoint intended for strings, woodwinds, and brass, and then had John apply it to the orchestral domain along with his own brilliant embellishments, which make the piece even more grand and dynamic. John and I grew up with the same influences, so there’s a personal and professional kinship between the two of us, along with a deep mutual respect for each other’s musicianship, that made the record such a joy to create."

When it came time to record the orchestra, Thomas cherry-picked 63 of London’s finest players and gathered them at Abbey Road for nine-and-a-half hours of pure magic. The session was a “pinch me” moment for Workman, both as a kid who grew up obsessed with The Beatles and as a composer finally seeing his vision come to life.

“Being in that studio with the orchestra playing my songs, it was like hearing everything go from black and white to Technicolor,” he explains. “They added a soul and a humanity to everything that was just so beautiful and three dimensional.”

That soul and humanity lies at the heart of ‘Uncommon Measures,’ which showcases not only Workman’s unparalleled musicianship, but also his profound empathy and expansive emotional vocabulary. Tracks like the dizzying “North Star” and pulse-pounding “All The Colors Of The World” balance breakneck guitar runs and instrumental fireworks with moments of deep calm and poignant reflection, while more playful tunes like the ecstatic “Noble Savage” and funky, horn-fueled “Unsung Hero” revel in the joys of creative freedom. As the record progresses, Workman finds himself looking inwards more and more, appreciating the beauty in melancholy with the meditative “Labyrinth Of Love” and finding hope for the future on the expansive “Rise And Shine.” As varied as the tracks here are—the final song, “Our Friendship,” is actually a Thomas composition inspired by the pair’s working relationship—there’s an underlying cohesiveness that binds the collection as a whole, a unified approach to the music rooted in a radical exploration and embrace of the self.
“If there’s any one thing that ties all of these songs together,” says Workman, “It’s the power of expressing yourself at all costs, of free falling into the music with complete abandon. When I’m working on a film or someone else’s record, there are always parameters to follow and opinions to consider, but here, there were no boundaries at all. I could do anything I wanted.”

For an artist like Lyle Workman, when the possibilities are infinite, the infinite becomes possible. ‘Uncommon Measures’ is proof of that.
Lyle Workman
Lyle Workman - Photo credit Greg Vorobiov
Comments

Guitar Wizards Fly High

11/20/2020

Comments

 
Flying Spirits from Nicolas Meier and Dewa Budjana Group
Guitarists Nicolas Meier and Dewa Budjana (Group) release an amazing original album titled, "Flying Spirits" featuring Jimmy Haslip (bass), Asaf Sikis (drums), and Saat Syah (flutes). Mixed and Mastered by Karma Auger and Eric Gobel and produced by Nicolas Meier, Dewa Budjana, and Jimmy Haslip.


About Nicolas Meier

Nicolas MeierPhoto Credit and courtesy Gregory Heath
UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the world's most original and uniquely talented guitarists. Drawing from a love of Turkish, Eastern & Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango and more -- all mixed with jazz -- Meier's versatility and musical fluency extends well beyond that, even. (... so much so, that his considerable talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group -- carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years). 
Nicolas has worked with:
​Jeff Beck Group
Jimmy Haslip
Vinnie Colaiuta

About Dewa Budjana 

Dewa BudjanaPhoto credit and courtesy Sigi Baramsky
Dewa Budjana’s band Gigi has been going strong for more than twenty five years now –packing out huge venues and selling millions of albums. In an historical context, Dewa Budjana is unquestionably one of his nation’s well known, beloved musicians.
​
But Gigi represents a fraction of his musical persona. A master composer, arranger and producer, Dewa Budjana has, in just a few short years, amassed a masterful collection of progressive music albums as a solo artist – work which transcends genre, in glorious fashion.
Dewa has worked with:
Peter Erskine - Bob Mintzer - Antonio Sanchez - Ben Williams - Joe Locke - Gary Husband - John McLaughlin - Vinnie Colaiuta - Jimmy Haslip - Jimmy Johnson - Mike Landau - Guthrie Govan - Chad Wackerman - Jack Dejohnette - Tony Levin - Jordan Rudess - Mohini Dey - Marco Minnemann - John Frusciante - Mike Stern and many others...

Nicolas Meier and Dewa Budjana Group's album titled Flying Spirits
Dewa Budjana Group
Dewa Budjana Group (from L to R): Saat Syah, Nicolas Meier, Dewa Budjana, Jimmy Haslip, Asaf Sikis. Photo credit and courtesy - Sigi Baramsky
Comments

Announcing Blue Canoe Radio

7/2/2020

Comments

 
Blue Canoe Records Radio
We are excited to announce the launch of Blue Canoe Records Radio - streaming live   24 . x 7 x 365 days a year. Click to listen to the live stream. Blue Canoe Radio currently has 29 programs and shows - click here to see the weekly schedule and speciality programs.

Listen Live Now
Comments
<<Previous

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Acid Jazz
    Avant Garde
    Awards
    Bands
    Bass
    Bebop
    Big Band
    Brazilian Jazz
    Christmas | Holiday
    Classic Jazz
    Classic Soul
    Contemporary Jazz
    Cool Jazz
    Corporate News
    Crossover Jazz
    Drums
    Duo
    Easy Listening
    Electro Jazz
    Electronica
    Ethnic Jazz
    Funk
    Fusion
    Guitar
    Hip Hop
    Instrumental Rock
    Interview
    Jam Bands
    Jazz Pop
    Jazz Rock
    Latin Jazz
    Live
    Mainstream Jazz
    Memphis Soul
    New Age
    New Orleans
    Obituary
    Organ
    Pianists
    Post Bop
    Progressive Rock
    Quartet
    Quintet
    Rap
    Remix
    Sampler
    Saxophone
    Smooth Jazz
    Solo
    Soul Jazz
    Soundtrack
    Space Rock
    Store
    Traditional Jazz
    Trio
    Trombone
    Trumpet
    Vocals
    West Coast
    World Fusion

    Jazziz

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    April 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    January 2014
    July 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    May 2011
    October 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    October 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    June 2008
    January 2008
    August 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    April 2007
    March 2007
    May 2006
    January 2006
    November 2005
    October 2005
    September 2005
    March 2005
    August 2004
    June 2003
    August 2002
    December 2000
    September 1996

Blue Canoe Records on LinkedIn
Blue Canoe Records on Facebook
Blue Canoe Records on Twitter
Blue Canoe Records on Pinterest
Blue Canoe Records on YouTube
Blue Canoe Records on Instagram
HOME
RADIO
NEWS
ARTISTS
See A​ll Artists
Artist Of The Month
RELEASES
See All Releases
Album Of The Week
Song Of The Day
SOCIAL
See All Social
Playlists
TV
Video Of The Day
STORE
BCR
About
Japanese Division
Licensing
Privacy Policy
Terms Of Use
Contact

Picture
© 2003-2021 Blue Canoe Records & Blue Canoe Digital LLC. 
​All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Radio
  • News
  • ARTISTS
    • See All Artists
    • Artist Of The Month
  • Releases
    • See All Releases
    • Album Of The Week
    • Song Of The Day
  • Social
    • See All Social
    • Playlists
    • TV
    • Video Of The Day
  • Store
  • BCR
    • About
    • Contact
    • Japanese Division
    • Licensing
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use