AN EVENING WITH JOHN PETRUCCI AND JORDAN RUDESS

Progressive, as in progressively out of control: First the good. Jordan Rudess melodic and restrained. His piano is the only thing that provides continuity here. John Petrucci shows that he's worked hard to get where he is. The show was, in principle, a good idea. A chance to showcase fresh, unusual talent, different from Dream Theater. Now (politely) the not so good, this idea never materialized. It is disappointing to hear the result of how JP interpreted and absorbed the likes of self-named influences like Allan Holdsworth & Al DiMeola guitar music. Just taking one of many potential examples: Bite of the Mosquito reminds one of The Flight of the Bumble Bee, and sounds uncomfortably like circus music. There are interesting musical themes in Black Ice, and elsewhere,...but they never get off the ground. Hang 11 sounds like it is based on an all-too-well known theme in Take Five - Dave Brubeck.

JP leaves a long-time guitar player like myself with a rather uneasy feeling about the product. Not to belittle, but offer comparisons that embody an earnest attempt to appraise: Masters of speed like J.McLaughlin, the two Als - above - etc. make JP seem to lack being brought up musically with more strict guidance. The bottom line is that this music will please few people who cut their musical teeth on Yes, Peter Gabriel, ELP, UK, King Crimson, Brian Eno.....some of which are still active and pushing the limits. JP is not a guitar savant and is does not show that he knows how to control and mold those musical emotions, so far. There is an analogy that is impossible to ignore: So many people are raised on a limited number of persons cooking - not all gourmet cuisine (Metallica & Queensryche, as well as some that are of a highly contrasted side of the profession), however, left to their own wits to interpret their experiences and cook in their own style you wind up with the subject working with fine ingredients but showing an unbalanced knowledge of what goes with what and how to prepare it with mastery. Where are the artistic directors and what are they thinking when these projects are produced? In defense of the All-Mighty Buck, Petrucci & Rudess have an audience! Sigh!