Lyle Workman – Uncommon Measures
Beyond being a member of distinct sounding 80s pop/rock outfit Bourgeois Tagg (noted for their hit 'I Don’t Mind At All') Lyle Workman is best known for his session/ touring/ recording/ collaboration work with Beck, Sting, Todd Rundgren, Norah Jones, Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan and Tony Williams among many others.
However the noted Californian guitarist has also worked as a successful film & TV composer and, in the last four years, produced ten digitally available Extended EPs of various musical genres; he also has three full-length instrumental/ fusion albums under his guitar strap.
All three solo albums have critical and musical merit, not least because Lyle Workman is a highly creative musician and outstanding guitarist, as noted by the likes of Steve Vai, Steve Lukather and XTC's Dave Gregory.
Uncommon Measures may be Lyle Workman’s fourth solo album but better to cite it as his Magnum Opus because this is no small-scale/ small band affair – this is a cinematic styled instrumental album featuring nine Workman compositions and a 63-piece orchestra (recorded live at Abbey Road).
That said those previous solo works sow the seeds of what has borne delicious musical fruit here, but the compositional structure of Uncommon Measures has been pulled from the depths of Lyle Workman’s subconscious in spontaneous, improvised writing sessions.
Or, as the man himself states: "This record ties together all the different threads of who I am as an artist; it was four years in the making, but it’s really the culmination of a lifetime in music."
Over and above the orchestra (with arrangements in collaboration with noted orchestrator John Ashton Thomas) and Lyle Workman’s guitar and keyboard work, Uncommon Measures features around a dozen musical luminaries including drummers Vinnie Colaiuta, Matt Chamberlain and Toss Panos, bassist Tim Lefebvre and pedal steel maestro Greg Leisz.
The album opens with the nine-minute 'North Star,' which features a complex orchestral arrangement that reminds of Sylva era Snarky Puppy.
Over the top of this Lyle Workman layers slide guitar parts and guitar solos whilst conjuring up Frank Zappa through unison parts between violin and xylophone.
There then follows a sweeping widescreen orchestral arrangement over which another guitar solo features before the conclusion is reached via multi-tracked guitars (a la Brian May) in an almost Tubular Bells homage.
In short, a superb and seriously impressive nine minutes and eighteen seconds of music.
'All the Colors of the World' provides some relief from the onslaught to the senses with a downtempo film-score type arrangement that picks up pace midway through its seven-and-a-half minutes.
There are flashes of Zappa again (and Pat Metheny) as well as more stellar guitar work from Lyle Workman, including a great acoustic solo towards the end.
'Noble Savage' is a more immediate number with a quite brilliant solo; whilst the track sits in Snarky Puppy territory (yet cleverly managing to also evoke the spirit of Zappa and 70s fusion) it is a piece firmly under Lyle Workman’s control.
However the noted Californian guitarist has also worked as a successful film & TV composer and, in the last four years, produced ten digitally available Extended EPs of various musical genres; he also has three full-length instrumental/ fusion albums under his guitar strap.
All three solo albums have critical and musical merit, not least because Lyle Workman is a highly creative musician and outstanding guitarist, as noted by the likes of Steve Vai, Steve Lukather and XTC's Dave Gregory.
Uncommon Measures may be Lyle Workman’s fourth solo album but better to cite it as his Magnum Opus because this is no small-scale/ small band affair – this is a cinematic styled instrumental album featuring nine Workman compositions and a 63-piece orchestra (recorded live at Abbey Road).
That said those previous solo works sow the seeds of what has borne delicious musical fruit here, but the compositional structure of Uncommon Measures has been pulled from the depths of Lyle Workman’s subconscious in spontaneous, improvised writing sessions.
Or, as the man himself states: "This record ties together all the different threads of who I am as an artist; it was four years in the making, but it’s really the culmination of a lifetime in music."
Over and above the orchestra (with arrangements in collaboration with noted orchestrator John Ashton Thomas) and Lyle Workman’s guitar and keyboard work, Uncommon Measures features around a dozen musical luminaries including drummers Vinnie Colaiuta, Matt Chamberlain and Toss Panos, bassist Tim Lefebvre and pedal steel maestro Greg Leisz.
The album opens with the nine-minute 'North Star,' which features a complex orchestral arrangement that reminds of Sylva era Snarky Puppy.
Over the top of this Lyle Workman layers slide guitar parts and guitar solos whilst conjuring up Frank Zappa through unison parts between violin and xylophone.
There then follows a sweeping widescreen orchestral arrangement over which another guitar solo features before the conclusion is reached via multi-tracked guitars (a la Brian May) in an almost Tubular Bells homage.
In short, a superb and seriously impressive nine minutes and eighteen seconds of music.
'All the Colors of the World' provides some relief from the onslaught to the senses with a downtempo film-score type arrangement that picks up pace midway through its seven-and-a-half minutes.
There are flashes of Zappa again (and Pat Metheny) as well as more stellar guitar work from Lyle Workman, including a great acoustic solo towards the end.
'Noble Savage' is a more immediate number with a quite brilliant solo; whilst the track sits in Snarky Puppy territory (yet cleverly managing to also evoke the spirit of Zappa and 70s fusion) it is a piece firmly under Lyle Workman’s control.
'Arc of Life' is another impressive long-form piece weighing in at over ten minutes.
Skilful blending of the guitar as the main chordal instrument with the orchestra is again in evidence, while a tasteful guitar solo leads the unsuspecting listener in a completely different direction and on toward a more menacing orchestral part.
Drummer Toss Panos is an unobtrusive and skilful element of this particular number, leading all the musicians towards the different routes of this musical journey.
'Imaginary World' ups the funk quotient with bubbling bass lines from Tim Lefebvre and a tight as the proverbial horn section over which Lyle Workman weaves his guitar magic.
A nice touch is the inclusion of a Rhodes as the main chordal instrument, adding to the 70s fusion vibe (think post Return To Forever Lenny White).
'Unsung Hero' continues down the funk path with a complex horn arrangement atop a killer, funkadelic riff before the subtle reintroduction of orchestra and horn solos.
The number then builds to a superb Lyle Workman solo, bringing yet another great track to its conclusion.
The brief and mournful 'Labyrinth of Love' again demonstrates Lyle Workman’s skill with a melody (this time played on acoustic over a largely staccato orchestra arrangement) before the early morning stretch of 'Rise and Shine' lives up to the name with its uplifting, major chord arrangement.
The melody of 'Rise and Shine' is played on a mixture of harpsichord or similar styled keyboard, pedal steel and acoustic guitar (which, somehow, works – Lyle Workman clearly knows a thing or five about instrumentation and arrangement) while a stunning acoustic guitar solo is followed by an electric version.
Closing track 'Our Friendship' features another great orchestral arrangement over which Lyle Workman pays homage to Jeff Beck with seamless control over pinch harmonics, feedback and whammy bar (this is one of the best numbers Jeff Beck didn’t play on or write).
For such a diverse, licence to roam album ("when I’m working on a film or someone else’s record there are always parameters to follow… here there were no boundaries at all. I could do anything I wanted" ) there is still a linked, thematic cohesiveness across the whole.
More importantly, this is a truly exceptional album from a stellar musician at the top of his compositional game.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Uncommon Measures is available digitally on Blue Canoe Records; it will be released on CD on 16th April.
Skilful blending of the guitar as the main chordal instrument with the orchestra is again in evidence, while a tasteful guitar solo leads the unsuspecting listener in a completely different direction and on toward a more menacing orchestral part.
Drummer Toss Panos is an unobtrusive and skilful element of this particular number, leading all the musicians towards the different routes of this musical journey.
'Imaginary World' ups the funk quotient with bubbling bass lines from Tim Lefebvre and a tight as the proverbial horn section over which Lyle Workman weaves his guitar magic.
A nice touch is the inclusion of a Rhodes as the main chordal instrument, adding to the 70s fusion vibe (think post Return To Forever Lenny White).
'Unsung Hero' continues down the funk path with a complex horn arrangement atop a killer, funkadelic riff before the subtle reintroduction of orchestra and horn solos.
The number then builds to a superb Lyle Workman solo, bringing yet another great track to its conclusion.
The brief and mournful 'Labyrinth of Love' again demonstrates Lyle Workman’s skill with a melody (this time played on acoustic over a largely staccato orchestra arrangement) before the early morning stretch of 'Rise and Shine' lives up to the name with its uplifting, major chord arrangement.
The melody of 'Rise and Shine' is played on a mixture of harpsichord or similar styled keyboard, pedal steel and acoustic guitar (which, somehow, works – Lyle Workman clearly knows a thing or five about instrumentation and arrangement) while a stunning acoustic guitar solo is followed by an electric version.
Closing track 'Our Friendship' features another great orchestral arrangement over which Lyle Workman pays homage to Jeff Beck with seamless control over pinch harmonics, feedback and whammy bar (this is one of the best numbers Jeff Beck didn’t play on or write).
For such a diverse, licence to roam album ("when I’m working on a film or someone else’s record there are always parameters to follow… here there were no boundaries at all. I could do anything I wanted" ) there is still a linked, thematic cohesiveness across the whole.
More importantly, this is a truly exceptional album from a stellar musician at the top of his compositional game.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Uncommon Measures is available digitally on Blue Canoe Records; it will be released on CD on 16th April.