James Lloyd

For over three decades, keyboardist, composer and arranger James K. Lloyd has been the aural architect of Pieces of a Dream. As a co-founder of the group, Lloyd composed and co-wrote over 100 compositions, from the '80's summer anthem "Mount Airy Groove" to "Love's Silhoutte." Born in Philadelphia on August 30, 1964, Lloyd starting playing piano at the age six. A graduate of Philadelphia's High School of Performing Arts, Lloyd was inspired to take up the instrument when his older brother started playing it. LLoyd was classically trained by an 89 year-old piano teacher who exposed him Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Mozart. He was also heavily influenced by the great keyboardists, Ramsey Lewis, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Larry Dunn, Chick Corea and Bud Powell.

In 1975, Lloyd met drummer Curtis Harmon and bassist Cedric Napoleon. They performed all over Philadelphia as Classic Touch, A Touch of Class and Galaxy. Inspired by Stanley Turrentine's "Pieces of Dreams," The trio changed their name to Pieces of a Dream in 1979. They were discovered by Grover Washington, Jr. when POAD performed on a popular TV show, City Lights. Washington and POAD performed Washington's hit, "Mister Magic" at Philadelphia's Bijou Cafe (where Washington recorded Live at the Bijou). Washington produced POAD's first three recordings Pieces of a Dream, We Are One and Imagine This.

Throughout POAD's label and personnel changes, James K. Lloyd's dazzling piano technique, inventive synthesizer programming and leadership have signatured POAD’s soulful sound. In the future, Lloyd, now based in Ohio, plans to produce some neo-soul, hip-hop and R&B recordings. As a performer, writer or producer, the artistry of James K. Lloyd is the foundation of POAD.

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