Harmonically, the material is interesting all the way through, no matter the style of each song.ĪAJ: One of the many things I love about the album is the humanity behind each song. I think the thing that makes it cohesive is the fact that, you can hear my musical personality come through on most of the material. We have some straight-ahead jazz, funky grooves, Latin and vocal tunes. On He Had a Hat it was much more eclectic and kind of all over the place. I think my last few records were more focused in terms of trying to create a specific sound for the record. We didn't really limit ourselves to a style. I just wanted great songs, great music and great production that was basically the goal. It varied stylistically and, in a way, that Jaco album was sort of a model for what I was hoping to come out with on this recordbeing at a very high level musically and having some great guests to collaborate with on the record. The debut CD of Jaco Pastorius was produced by Bobby. He was the founder of Blood, Sweat & Tears, which was obviously a very successful group, and it was also very innovativestylistically all over the place. JL: Bobby Colomby and I co-produced and co-wrote the music. Did you have a set concept when going through the recording process on this album? Did you want to try new thingsgive the audience something different? The title is memorable, somehow.ĪAJ: It definitely translates to the music. There was just a lot of joy about making the music, and so the title captures that fun. It just kind of hit us in the right way when we thinking of titles for the album. We were just having so much fun in the studio making the music. I'll do anythingfeed the hungry, heal the sickanything." Another big wave washes in, depositing the boy on the sand. "Please, God," she says, looking up at the sky. A big wave comes in and sweeps the child into the sea. JL: There is a grandma and her grandson on a beach. We were all hanging around the studio working on the record, and Bobby who is my co-producer, told the joke. Lorber, known for his smooth, synth-heavy sound, has created something inimitable and is certain to surprise and appeal to his long-standing fans and some new-found ones, too.Īll About Jazz: W is the story behind the title of your album He Had a Hat? The keyboardist teamed up with an all-star team of musicians including Bobby Colomby, the visionary producer behind many successful albums including trumpeter Chris Botti's When I Fall in Love (Columbia, 2004), To Love Again: The Duets (Columbia, 2005), as well as the 1976 Epic debut of the late bassist Jaco Pastorius. He Had a Hat (Blue Note, 2007) is Lorber at his pure and unadulterated best.