I want to write and play music that holds my interest, that's the only way I can expect to hold other people's interest. The result is his first pop record. He sees it as a more direct form of communication with the audience, short melodic vehicles for himself and drummer Tony Smith, violinist Steve Kindler, and bassist Fernando Saunders. There are no guitars. I cannot accept a steady diet of a group that includes guitars.
Melodies is eleven tracks with only two instrumentals.
All four band members sing. Hammer wrote the music. Ivona Reich, his wife, wrote the lyrics. It should be a big surprise to a lot of people, especially the jazz fans. They just won't believe it.