Linda Hoyle

Linda Hoyle - Pieces Of Me - 1971 - Vertigo

Formerly lead vocalist with the short lived but superb progressive jazz rock act Affinity, Linda started her all too short solo career in 1971. "Pieces Of Me" was a superb demonstration of Linda's powerful vocal style. On this great album, Linda exhibited her grasp of a wide range of material, with covers of Laura Nyro's "Lonely Women" and Nina Simone's "Backlash Blues". "Pieces Of Me" is a wonderful album of blues, soul, R&B, and jazz rock, and includes some great musicians like Chris Spedding, and Soft Machine's John Marshall , and Karl Jenkins Linda renounced live performances after she married Pete King, ex- musical director to the famous saxophonist, Ronnie Scott. She now teaches Art Therapy at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and occasionally sings with Juno nominee guitarist Oliver Whitehead.” A gifted vocalist and songwriter, what a pity "Pieces Of Me" is her only official solo album. Affinity's "If You Live" album, is well worth hearing.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Backlash Blues - N Simone
2. Paper Tulips - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
3. Black Crow - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
4. For My Darling - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
5. Pieces Of Me - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
6. Lonely Woman - L Nyro
7. Hymn To Valerie Solanas - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
8. Ballad Of Marty Mole - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
9. Journey's End - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
10. Morning For One - L Hoyle / K Jenkins
11. Barrel House Music - M Bailey

MUSICIANS

Linda Hoyle : vocals (Affinity)
Chris Spedding : guitars
Jeff Clyne : bass (Nucleus, Isotope)
John Marshall : drums / percussion (Soft Machine)
Karl Jenkins : piano / oboe (Soft Machine)

REVIEW

It probably isn't surprising to learn that Hoyle's solo debut, cut following the final dissolution of Affinity in 1971, does not deviate too far from that band's jazz-rock modus operandi. However, in seeking to trim the instrumental fat from Affinity's sometimes gruelling work-outs, and concentrate the attention on the songs (and lyrics) themselves, it rises far above its role model, to showcase Hoyle as a far more exciting figure than her footnotes in history would have you believe. Reminiscent in places of the best of Julie Driscoll's late 1960s work - a role model that Hoyle was singularly well-placed to succeed - Pieces Of Me likewise borrows from several of Driscoll's own influences. The Nina Simone and Laura Nyro songbooks both contribute to the proceedings, with the latter's "Lonely Woman" standing among the best tracks on the entire album. But Hoyle's own work, largely written in tandem with keyboard player Karl Jenkins, is equally powerful, with the eerie "Hymn To Valerie Solanis" (titled for, but never mentioning the woman who shot Andy Warhol), and the regretful "Journey's End" ranking among the other highlights. The intriguing "Ballad Of Marty Mole", meanwhile, reads like a cross between Bob Dylan and Beatrix Potter, and could well give children nightmares for days. © Dave Thompson, allmusic.com