Lynne Arriale Trio 

“LIVE”

Motema Music
In&Out Records

The new live CD/DVD by the Lynne Arriale Trio may be the wave of the future. Along with the live concert disc, the package contains a DVD of the same concert. If this sounds redundant, think of it as a choice. I’ve listened to the CD many times. When I was ready, I took out the DVD and vicariously experienced the concert in a more involved way. The video footage is beautifully filmed and the DVD also contains a mini-documentary on Arriale and an interview with her. Arriale, who was a hit at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival, is among the finest pianists playing today. She is a superb composer of ballads, two of which --- “Home” and “Arise” --- are included here. But her tour-de-force composition (and performance) is an evocative uptempo classic, “Braziliana.” Her choices of other writers’ tunes are excellent. She begins the album with a fresh take on “Iko Iko,” but rather than imitate Dr. John’s Marti Gras approach, Arriale slows it down, emphasizing the bluesy intrigue of the song. A Beatles cover, “Come Together,” is nicely recast rhythmically and re-harmonized. But perhaps best among her choices is Abdullah Ibrahim’s great “Mountains of the Night.” The DVD-only tune, “Alone Together,” is a wonderful showcase for the trio with bassist Jay Anderson playing a particularly melodic interlude and drummer Steve Davis putting down his brushes for a subtle, yet dynamic, hand-drum solo.
--- Ron Netsky