I have known Robert for longer than either one of us would admit out in public, and over the years he still continues to amaze me as a truly consumate musician. This recording is only one minute diamond-faceted tip of the "genius iceberg" present in this man. I am honored and humbled to call him friend, and the times I have worked with him over the years have been some of the best.
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One of my musical passions is guitar instrumental albums.  Guitarists that are able to weave a tapestry, tell a story and invoke emotions with no vocals are truly masters of their craft.  Every so often, I listen to a work that presents the guitar instrumental album in a refreshing and masterful way.  Robert Tye’s LIVING is one of those albums.

Tye builds on the achievement of his solo album, VIRTUES OF THE WELL, which I also highly recommend and is listed on the Public Radio Music Source as a “Must Have” CD.  But where VIRTUES is more of a traditional jazz guitar format, LIVING allows us a full taste of Tye’s musical breadth.  He applies guitar elements of jazz, rock, and classical, seamlessly combining them with a variety of rhythms and styles contributed from the collaborating musicians.

LIVING has three elements that make it a great musical work. 

One: Robert Tye’s guitar playing.  He uses the full range of the instrument, playing up and down the neck and using single notes, two strings and chords in combinations that capture the moment of each phrase in the song. In addition, he coaxes the full tonal capacity out of the instrument and amplifier to achieve a unique sound that ranges from edgy to silky subtle.  Most important, Tye knows when not to play.  He isn’t the type of guitarist who feels the need to blast out notes to show his adeptness.  He understands the theme of each song and balances playing with space, and allows the other instruments to have their time in the spotlight.

Two: song composition and style.  Every song on this album has exquisite song writing, top to bottom.  Each song is an individual story told by the musicians, with multiple chapters.  This goes beyond just playing the notes within the rhythm backdrop, but instead uses all the elements of each player to create a song arrangement.  Songs will change directions, exploring side streets and alleys and then find their way back to the main boulevard.  In addition, the collection of songs encompasses a wide range of styles that Tye explores in great depth.  This album has plenty of “jazz guitar” components, but he draws on all the elements of his diverse career to treat the listener to sounds from around the world and across the musical spectrum.

Three: outstanding musicians.  This is a prime example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.  All the players contribute on each song, truly a group effort.  The full sound this group is able to achieve with the number of players is amazing.  Musicians on each song range from a trio format to using piano, organ, sax and flute to enhance the song composition. It’s hard to describe, but you can hear sounds that aren’t actually being played.  On certain songs, you can pick up a “latin” rhythm flavor even though no latin percussion is present.

LIVING will treat you to a journey through many tempos, styles and intensities.  From the haunting “Dusk” to the hoppin’ “Bossie”, Tye takes us on a musical ride through multiple musical genres.  “Mad Bad Dangerous to Know” is alone worth the price of the CD, truly a masterpiece.  Here, Tye pulls out all the stops and manages to integrate guitar elements of Robben Ford, Pat Metheny and Wes Montgomery all in one composistion.  It isn’t that he copies trademark licks from these artists, no.  Rather he integrates their thematic elements of style, sound and composition into something that is all Robert Tye.  The drumming and bass guitar work are equally outstanding and are what ultimately take the song from good to great.  The electric bass has a wonderfully thick tone so you can really feel the bottom end, and the drumming is masterful. This is one of the examples where you get a subtle sense of latin rhythms without any congas or timbales.

I place this album in the same upper echelon as some of my favorite guitar instrumental albums: Robben Ford’s TIGER WALK, Derek Trucks’ SOUL SERENADE and Pat Metheny’s BRIGHT SIZE LIFE.  I can only hope the listening world at large will get a chance to enjoy this album as much as I have!  Don’t miss out!
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I am not a typical jazz fan and only have a few jazz records in my collection, and those few I have are typically of guitarists. As a guitarist myself I love to hear what other musicians are able to coax from the instrument. On this record Robert plays with such talent he makes me want to put my guitar away into the closet. I am so hopelessly far below this level of talent. This record also showcases the unusually good tone of Robert's instruments. As one who dabbles in the quest for good tone it is especially satisfying to hear to the incredilbly good guitar tones on this record. Something I rarely hear in jazz guitar. If you appreciate the difficulty in not only getting good tone, but in capturing it in a recording, you need to get this CD!
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My husband and I saw, heard, met Robert Tye at the King Brewery in Pontiac, Michigan. After hearing his sytle, we had to have the CD. It's a compellation of real jazz; not what's passed off as jazz today. Every tune is great. We both spend a lot of time on the road, and this CD is a necessity for sanity! Incredible listening - thanks!
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