If someone could, I would very much appreciate some kind of definition of "prog". I know it as being "progressive", but what that pertains to in terms of music, I can't deduce. It has a certain sound to it though, and I'm sure most people are familiar with it when they hear it. It involves a lot of intricate scales, ultra slick drums and drum kicks, technical skill beyond oblivion, and the use of advanced technology far beyond our modest earthling comprehension. I suppose it's a kind of mix of classical virtuoso, and rock and roll fascination. Whatever it is, Jordan Rudess seems to be carrying a huge chunk of it on his shoulders.



Heres the story: Jordan Rudess was inducted into Juliard at the tender age of nine and was trained in playing classical piano. He eventually started to bring in synthesizers and electronic music into his performances, and soon enough he was interested in playing with bands such as The Dixie Dregs and Dream Theatre. This CD contains ten performances which exude both talent and determined virtuosity, but with every scale and perfected melody, it lacks in raw emotional power. It's comparable to listening to that scruffy kid from-the-back playing from his open heart, and that highly manicured kid from-the-front playing with his eyes closed.



Many of the tracks are extended jams with improvisation within the bounds of musical craftsmanship, only two include singing. "Tears Before The Rain" is the first to include vocals. It's, of course, features Jordan rocking steadily on his keyboard as well as singing thoughtful, but not thought provoking lyrics. Harmonies eventually kick in and it has that 70's rock and roll feel to it. It all sounds like it comes from just one keyboard though, and to me, this immediately closes my mind to the vast possibilities of space within music.



The other vocal song is "Beyond Tomorrow". It's more of the same fare but involves some nice mellow chords and some pristine piano playing. Rudess is once again singing. Although he knows how to sing, he doesn'tt exactly look you in the eye and sing to you. He's reading notes, and it sounds like it.



The highlights of the album though are when Rudess jams with other talented "prog" musicians. On Songs such as "Universal Mind", "Liquid Dreams", and "Feed The Wheel" Rudess displays his undeniable abilities to create both slow and contemplative jazz, as well as rollicking rock and roll. However, I feel he may know too much. There is no chance in his music, everything is so sure it just kind of laps over you. Every instrument stays within the absolute frame of it's counterpart and moves in exact octaves corresponding; there is no guessing in Rudess's music.



With every inspiring musician comes both a grasp of technical virtuosity and musical invention. When you begin thinking about all the composers who elevated classical music from the stuffy attic they were obscured too, you think of innovators such as Philip Glass and Stravinksy; composers with not only great knowledge of music but with visions of what to do with that knowledge. Jordan Rudess is just well learned. Although he can show anyone the upside down, and right side up of a keyboard, he doesn't seem to put this knowledge to creating original material which can really stir someone up. It's just about as enjoyable as watching the world's fastest typist copy James Joyce's Ulysses, with no errors.



Track Listing

1 Universal Mind

2 Tear Before The Rain

3 Revolutionary Etude

4 Osmosis

5 Faceless Pastiche

6 Outcast

7 Liquid Dreams

8 Hoedown

9 Beyond Tomorrow

10 Feed The Wheel