The Motet vocalist Lyle Divinsky showed off a different side of his musicality during an atrium set held aboard Jam Cruise 17 on January 16. Divinsky mixed solo material with choice covers over the course of a performance that stood out a highlight of the trip.
Lyle, with guitar in hand opened his set with “Disaster” and “Carry On” off his 2015 pre-Motet album Uneven Floors. The Maine native then brought out his best friend from his Skidmore College days Nat Osborn to play piano and The Nth Power guitarist Nick Cassarino for a take on “Ol ’55” by Tom Waits. Osborn was aboard Jam Cruise 17 with Sister Sparrow. Nat and Nick stuck around and were joined by Turkuaz vocalist Sammi Garett for Uneven Floors track “You Want To Leave.”
The parade of guests continued with Sister Sparrow harmonica wiz Jackson Kincheloe helping out on the new original “Risk It All.” Divinsky then went at it alone for a gorgeous cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed.” Next, Lyle recruited Sammi Garett and her Turkuaz band mate Shira Elias as well as vocalist Kim Dawson for the ’90s R&B smash “Weak.” From there, Osborn returned for “Uneven Floors” before Lyle dug into takes on The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” and “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” by Prince. For the finale, Lyle and Nat went with “Rich” from Uneven Floors. Listen to an audience recording of the set taped by Erin Lunders:
Setlist
Set: Disaster, Carry On, Ol ’55*, You Want To Leave^, Risk It All+, Overjoyed, Weak, Uneven Floors@, I’ll Be There, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore, Rich@
- *w/ Nat Osborn (keys), Nick Cassarino (guitar)
- ^w/ Nat Osborn (keys), Nick Cassarino (guitar), Sammi Garett (vocals)
- +Jackson Kincheloe (harmonica)
- ~w/ Sammi Garett, Shira Elias, Kim Dawson (vocals)
- @ w/ Nat Osborn (keys)
