Biography

Pianist James Lloyd is a classically trained, jazz-influenced musician best known as a founding member of the smooth jazz group Pieces of a Dream. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lloyd first began taking piano lessons at age six. Introduced to jazz around age 12, he honed his skills while attending Philadelphia's High School of Performing Arts. By the time he graduated, Lloyd had already formed the trio Pieces of a Dream with fellow Philly natives bassist Cedric Napoleon and drummer Curtis Harmon. Although only in their teens, the members of Pieces of a Dream dazzled audiences with their stylistically innovative mix of jazz, funk, and R&B. For more than 30 years, Lloyd performed and recorded with Pieces of a Dream, releasing such well-received albums as 1981's Pieces of a Dream, 1983's Imagine This, 1986's Joyride, 1993's In Flight, 1997's Pieces, 2001's Acquainted with the Night, 2006's Pillow Talk, and 2013's In the Moment. In 2015, Lloyd delivered his debut full-length solo album, Here We Go!, which featured guest appearances by saxophonists Najee and Gerald Albright. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi