Being Human
Lynne Arriale; Alon Near; Lukasz Zyta
Challenge Records CR 73572 (lynnearriale.com/shop/being-human-1)
Luminous pianist, composer and arranger Lynne Arriale has graced the stages of the most prestigious temples of jazz throughout the world and with the release of her 17th recording, Arriale is joined by internationally renowned musicians, bassist Alon Near and drummer Lukasz Zyta. Ten moving and insightful original compositions are included in this jazz suite, with Arriale having taken inspiration from remarkable individuals such as environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, as well as from positive human qualities and the variety of emotions and needs that we all share – musically and etherically eclipsing the “great lie” of human separatism.
First up is Passion dedicated to Thurnberg. This arrangement is rife with youthful enthusiasm, tinged by the melancholy of the high emotional price that young people can pay for their dedicated, nascent mono-vision, having connected with their pure, focus-driven path early on. Written by Arialle for the Human Race, Love is stunningly beautiful, and a reminder of how unique every soul is and that the potential for illumination resides in each one of us. Arriale’s playing here embraces both the contrapuntal aspects of a classical composition, as well as a refreshing purity and simplicity. Near and Zyta are in a rarefied communicative state with Arriale, at once supportive and creative, imbuing each nuance with their individual sound and skill.
Highlights include the free Curiosity, dedicated to autistic mathematician/physicist Jacob Barnett, where universal mysteries and chaos are plumbed. The swinging Soul (dedicated to Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate) is a groovy, rhythmic trip that not only features a hard-driving four from the rhythm section, but Arriale’s dynamism and encyclopedic knowledge of the bop canon. The suite closes with a reprise of Love utilizing “voices” on the Yamaha Clavinova, which underscore faith in humanity and a mutual commitment to unity and a brighter, inclusive future.
