AN EVENING WITH JOHN PETRUCCI AND JORDAN RUDESS

Anybody that listens to prog undeniably knows who these two musicians are and the band they are famous for. Dream Theater is one of the biggest love it or hate it bands around. Personally I like them quite a bit, but I respect other people's opinion about them. Some find that they lack true musicianship and songwriting abilities, which is plausible. Others would include having feeling implemented into the music and the disability to change sound. These arguments are again, plausible. With this album, it is safe to say true musicianship is projected from these two musicians. This is a live recording of John Petrucci on electric and acoustic guitar along with Jordan Rudess on the acoustic grand piano.

There are some nice reasons to own this impressive album.

First, this cd has nothing to do with Dream Theater's music in any sense. There are very few, if at all, showcases of metal. Most of the influence is taken from the Classical, Latin and Jazz realm. The material for the show was written in a very short period, leaving it open to improve, which was executed beautifully. John Petrucci had the only flaw on this show, which wasn't that big of a deal anyway. He was obviously 10 times more controlled then on his band's studio albums but there was still a few spots where he started to get a little over the top, but again, he maintained control mostly. His acoustic guitar consisted of some nice work influenced by the likes of Al Di Meola with the flamenco technique, which he has come to be a master of over the years. The classical influence was showed mostly when he played some chords and arpeggios, mostly when Jordan was at the forefront. While on topic, Jordan Rudess made this cd what it is. His performance was one of the best a listener can ask for. He was extremely controlled, partly because there were no synths or effects of the type. Everything Jordan did was on the acoustic grand piano, which was played flawlessly. Most of the music Jordan played was in a classical vein.

Secondly, I thought the improvisation was a nice touch to this album. Being able to improvise in front of a live audience is another thing in itself. The improv was great; every one that John and Jordan did was certainly fulfilling and done in a coherent matter, while still showing technical proficiency. John certainly can prove the people that criticize the fact that he cannot put emotion into his playing with the album. His guitar solos (except the few that he couldn't be zany with') all had some great bends and slides that made them tasteful and interesting.

Finally is just the overall sound of the album itself. The quality is excellent for a live album. This was not just a nice Classical/Jazz/Latin show by these two, they also kept the concert interesting by adding more to what they were limited to by adding some classic novice techniques like dynamic changes, tempo changes and crescendos. The limitations lied within the instruments, which is not a bad thing by any means. Remember that this was largely an acoustic concert, minus electric guitar, but that and the piano lacked any distortion or effects. Lastly, the guitar and piano complimented and worked together very well throughout this album.

So, why not? This is a great concert by these two gents. Highly recommended.

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