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A
jazz band that draws inspiration and leadership from a female musician has always been a rarity; but the world has never seen the likes of the Lynne
Arriale Trio.
Since my encounter, two decades ago, of another CD label, namely the
Windham Hill, I have found its sparkling perspectives on music capturing my
aspirations. Today, Motema’s Come Together recalls some of the same
core sentiments of the New Age of the 80’s, conjuring up a feeling I’ve not
encountered in years.
Lynne Arriale’s playing is not of one-sided, pinkish feminism, nor is the
ensemble one of passiveness or misdirection. Rather, Lynne plays the piano
with such creativity, decisiveness, energy and zeal, it would’ve been mistaken
as the playing of a man had her occasional, sumptuous “lipstick” whispery
touch not been simmering through softly.
Despite the fact that only a piano, bass and drums are present in each track,
there is expertly music-making permeating throughout the CD to impart an
expansiveness many trio‘s failed to attain. And when the playing starts, Ms.
Arriale leads bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Steve Davis on an
impromptu of camaraderie and inspiration. The two guys support Lynne
throughout the stops and surges with momentary spontaneity, short of dashing
ahead of her. As a result, each track is never entirely cuddled in sanctuary
bliss; but is artfully spiced with degrees of risk-taking that gives the playing a
beautiful, otherworldly flavor.
Take, for example, the breathtakingly spirited playing in “Flamenco” (track 6),
in which the guys are in overdrive in adding necessary atmosphere to the
pianist‘s lead. Just as the men finish an interim passage, Lynne injects
energy and ensures continuity with one of her own unique sequences.
Of the entire CD, six tracks are Ms. Arriale’s own creation of high originality,
so much so that I was enticed to playback the whole disc again. And even if
you have listened to it more than once already, you’ll find playing it in your car
a wonderful idea. The title track, “Come Together” is not my favorite Beatle,
but the Trio’s recreation of it has enough lyricism to usher me into a world of
its own. Each track is permeated with resounding purposefulness while
traversing in a tranquil and yet forward momentum that embraces and carries
the listener almost subliminally. The music in this CD differentiates itself from
others heavily trenched in the pool of commerce.
Apart from classical pianists, such as Martha Argerich, Alicia De Larrocha
and Mitsuko Uchida, I have not heard such lyricism in piano playing; thus it is a
true shocker to hear a female pianist so capably and aptly applying her
finesse to the world of jazz.
In terms of sound quality, the mild richness in upper bass to upper midrange
polishes the CD’s overall sound and makes the choice of using either solid-
state or tube amplification equally rewarding. Nicely mastered, the sound
endows the trio with lively intimacy and sophisticated tonal layers,
transcending an experience beyond what three mere instruments usually
produce.
This is a highly listenable jazz music created in the hands and soul of a
female. Maybe that’s what we’ve been needing in this age of colliding cultures
and moralities: female leaders, under whose leadership the world may be
finally be able to rid itself of massacres and wars. It is a good feeling listening
to music performed by such a competent female pianist, especially in Jazz,
whose unique touch will hopefully catch the attention of today’s standard jazz
scene for something so brightened with excitement and originality.
Come Together is Lynne Arriale Trio’s second release under the Motema
label, and the trio’s ninth studio production. With two if its previous CD s,
Inspiration (2002) and Arise (2003), selected by The New Yorker and The
Economist in their top-ten lists, LAT also debuted at #17 on Billboard in
2003. According to Motema, PBS-TV is to broadcast "Profiles of a
Performing Artist" on the Lynne Arriale Trio sometime this year. |
