The Lynne Arriale Trio: Come Together

The Lynne Arriale Trio is yet another distinguished piano trio on the current jazz scene. Along with drummer Steve Davis and bassist Jay Anderson, Lynne Arriale celebrates their tenth anniversary release with Come Together and gives new listeners a taste of their own identity with fresh performances and superb musicianship. Past releases Arise and Inspiration have earned the trio praise, airplay, as well as standing ovations at events such the Kennedy Center's Mary Lou Williams "Women in Jazz" Festival in 2002. With an open ear to the new release, it's easy to hear why.

Variety truly is the spice of life and the trio dishes it out in large quantities, starting things off with a funky version of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Come Together," followed by the alluring ballad "Home." The pastoral mood of the traditional Scottish folk song "Red is the Rose" is thoughtful and moving, whereas Arriale's "Sunburst" is a modern post bop burner filled with creativity and energy as the trio simply smokes with fierce playing.

At the core of the music lies Arriale's accomplished piano and writing skills, which are filled with earnest, yet free expression, whether delivering up tempo pieces or ballads. Her trio mates are equally up to par; the bass and drums not only provide unyielding rhythm but also stark individual contributions. The percussive prowess of Steve Davis sparkles on the soulful "Braziliana" as he adds a nice drum roll shuffle against a hip backbeat, and later an impressive tom-tom solo. Bassist Jay Anderson is the cement to this pyramid that not only solidifies the music but also glows when he expresses deep solos like on the moving closing piece "Twilight."

While piano trio recordings may seem to be in overabundance these days, Lynne Arriale's Come Together is a noteworthy recording that equals and at times surpasses its contemporaries.

Visit Lynne Arriale @ AAJ and lynnearriale.com .