For those unaware, Eric Lilley is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer born in Corona, California. Lilley graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1978 and started his career with Atlantic recording artists, The Energetics, followed by joining Herb Reed of the original Platters.

Eventually settling in Denver, Colorado, Lilley quickly became an in-demand player on the local jazz, blues, rock, and funk scene. In 1985 Lilley formed the jazz fusion group You Guys, which released Play de Doh on ITI Records and received favorable national airplay leading to festival dates at the Telluride, Breckenridge, and Vail jazz festivals, among others.

The nineties decade found Lilley touring out of Nashville and doing theatrical work in Branson, Missouri. He was keyboardist and staff arranger for the Shoji Tabuchi Show and served in the same capacity at the Lawrence Welk Show in 1999.

In 2005, Lilley formed Twin Goat Music and released Songs Without Words as a solo piano disc. In 2020, Lilley released Joie de Vivre, in 2021 came their follow-up, aptly-titled Follow Up, and now the quintet brings us their brand new album, and once again aptly-titled Three (March 17th, 2023).

1. Goats
2. Jereices’ Step
3. Kendras’ Waltz
4. Bill Evans
5. May Day
6. About Face
7. Few and Far Between
8. Any Day Now
9. Visiting Hours

This deliciously sculpted, heartfelt and smoothly sailed new recording opens on the delightful vibrancy within Goats and the upbeat and perky rhythms of Jereices’ Step and then brings us the richly-layered Kendras’ Waltz and the playfully flirty Bill Evans.

Along next is the deeply-assured May Day and the gentle finger-snapper About Face and they are in turn backed by the free flowing majesties within Few and Far Between, the album rounding out on the divinely beautiful Any Day Now, closing on the organically-sculpted Visiting Hours.

Official Website