Lynne Arriale

Lynne Arriale has captured the imaginations of jazz and mainstream music lovers with her outstanding CD and DVD recordings and performances. She has been critically acclaimed as having a ‘singular voice’ as a pianist, leader, composer, arranger and for “putting the heart back into jazz” (London Times). Arriale’s consistently excellent recordings have topped every notable jazz chart. With back to back #1 Jazz Week radio hits, a #17 debut on Billboard’s Jazz Chart, the top ten “Best Of” lists for The New Yorker, United Press International and The German Record Critics Association, Arriale has earned her place among elite international jazz artists. She has been featured on the PBS nationally televised program, Profile of a Recording Artist, and on multiple NPR programs including Weekend Edition, Jazz Set, and Piano Jazz with Marion McPartland.

Arriale’s current release presents an extraordinary new lineup of iconic musicians who joined her on her CD/DVD, NUANCE, The Bennett Studio Sessions, which has received wide critical acclaim, including four stars in Downbeat Magazine and an in-depth feature. In addition to Arriale as leader/composer/arranger, the remarkable band features jazz legend George Mraz on bass; Anthony Pinciotti on drums, whose work with James Moody and John Abercrombie has received high critical praise; and the great All-Star, Randy Brecker on trumpet / flugelhorn. The project was recorded at the multi-Grammy and Emmy Award winning BENNETT STUDIOS, and includes a bonus DVD of a live, “in-studio” concert as well as interviews with each artist. This Motéma Music release features Arriale’s compelling new originals, as well as her innovative reinventions of pop classics, jazz and world music selections.

NUANCE was chosen as CD of the Month in the three top German audio magazines. Arriale recently received the SESAC (comparable to BMI and ASCAP) award for recording excellence.

Arriale’s previous release, LIVE, (Motéma), recorded by BR-TV at Germany’s oldest and most prestigious jazz event, The Burghausen Jazz Festival, won the 2007 German Record Critics Award for best jazz CD/DVD recording. She has toured Japan with the legendary “100 Golden Fingers”group, a bill Lynne shared with jazz legends Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Ray Bryant, Junior Mance, Harold Mabern, Roger Kellaway and Monty Alexander. In 1993 she earned first place at Jacksonville’s prestigious Great American Piano Competition. Arriale continues to perform such internationally prestigious venues as The Spoleto Arts Festival, Ireland’s Cork Jazz Festival, The Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, the Burghausen and Stuttgart Jazz Festivals, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The Folly Theater, The Gilmore Festival, The Jacksonville Jazz Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and numerous other festivals, concerts and clubs throughout Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, Norway, The Czech Republic, Ireland, the UK and Australia.

Over the past few years, Arriale has performed with legendary saxophonist, Benny Golson, Grammy winner, trumpet/flugelhorn player, Randy Brecker, jazz icon, bassist George Mraz, Roy Hargrove, Rufus Reid, Buster Williams and Eddie Henderson.

Arriale recently returned from a six country tour with the “Nuance” group (Randy Brecker, George Mraz and Anthony Pinciotti). The group performed in France, Austria, Spain, Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Deeply committed to jazz education, Lynne Arriale is currently Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano and Director of Small Ensembles at The University of North Florida. She also conducts master classes, clinics and workshops internationally for professionals, students and communities at large. Arriale was recently featured on the cover story of JazzEd Magazine.