1. Come Together (Lennon-McCartney) 6:14
2. Home (Arriale) 6:03
3. Braziliana (Arriale) 4:42
4. Red is the Rose (Traditional) 5:32
5. Sunburst (Arriale) 6:11
6. Flamenco (Arriale) 5:14
7. Iko, Iko (Traditional) 5:11
8. Sea and Sand (Arriale) 8:00
9. Twilight (Arriale) 6:27
Total: ~52 min
Lynne’s promotional photo from her previous
release, ARISE
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 CDs, 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.
Review System:
47 Laboratory 4704 PiTracer CD transport with two Power Humpty’s
47 Laboratory 4705-G Gemini Progression DAC with 2 Power Dumpty’s
47 Laboratory 4706 Gaincard S dual mono integrated amplifier with
two Power Humpty “S”s
ELAC CL330JET minimonitors
Via Audio Note Sogon digital cable, Sogon interconnects, AN-Vx interconnects,
AN-SPx speaker cable, Harmonix Reimyo Studio Master AC cords.
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