LIVE AT THE TRALF

I have given this disk a try several times, but being quite taken with the original line up, it is not the same experience without George Puleo and Tom Reinhardt. Tom may not be the player Jim is, but he had a rock solid groove and infectious lines that were a perfect complement and ostinato to brother Ted's frequent adventurous interludes. Unlike the typical "rock" drummer, Ted's solos follow the composition of the song, and with brother Ted keeping the groove, the synergy add a dimension to the drum solos that few, if any, rock fans have ever heard.

This same spirit is not evident in this recording, or in the lineup following Ted and George's departure. I still have to thank these guys though for not only creating some of the best music ever to bless these ears, but for the enduring memory of a time in my life when I was out hanging out and playing gigs myself at the clubs. So the music is not only timeless from a sheer quality perspective, but for me has some great memories to boot.

But don't let that stop you from buying this, or any of their other disks. If you are a fan of Prog rock, you will not be disappointed. However, I would not start with this as an introduction to the band. Try out one of the studio albums first. If you prefer "Into the Light" to their earlier studio work, you will likely appreciate this one a bit more than I. My bias is born of familiarity with their earlier work, and not the talent of the players.