RHYTHM OF TIME

Jordan Rudess' prolific years continue with 2002, a new album (''Six degrees of inner turbulence'') and a tour with Dream Theater and two solo works, one inspired by Christmas (''Christmas sky'') and one dedicated to the victims of 9/11 New York terrorist attack (''4NYC'').In 2003 he records another album with Dream Theater, ''Train of thought'', which finds the band in a switch towards very heavy sounds, and later he focused on another Prog-inspired solo work.For the album ''Rhythm of time'' he established a regular rhythm section with Dave LaRue on bass and Rod Morgenstein on drums and invited some of the finest guitarists to help him: Greg Howe, Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore and Daniel Jakubovic.The album was released in 2004 on Magna Carta.

It's not an excess to say that the tracks presented here are well adapted to the style of the invited guitarists and Ruddess' duo with each of them makes a stylistical entry of his own.For example the pieces featuring Vinnie Moore and Joe Satriani are the more virtuosic ones, again somewhere between the sound of DREAM THEATER and LIQUID TENSION EXPERIENT, with a strong nod to Fusion and many references to Classical and Electronic Music, Film Scores and extreme Prog Metal.Great music with complex instrumental twists, endless breaks and tempo changes, swirling around Heavy Rock pounds, symphonic atmospheres and technical Fusion, without doubt closing the works of former DREAM THEATER keyboardist DEREK SHERINIAN.Guitarist Greg Howe is featured in a couple of pieces, which still retain the high quality of musicianship, but both are more symphonic with evident Classical interludes and a more pompous sound akin to 70's Prog Rock monsters, albeit with a modern touch.Great music again, fronted by more melodious themes but also nice isolated performances.''Beyond tomorrow'' features also Kip Winger on vocals.With Steve Morse on his side Ruddess has the chance to offer more playful themes, his alternation on keyboard excess along with Morse's more rockin' guitar vibes offer a less heavy or guitar-colored music, Morse of course needs only a couple of minutes to shine on his solos, but Ruddess is the main hero on these cuts with a manifest of keyboard tricks and moves with a jazzy and Classical taste.The closing piece ''Tear before the rain'' is a different fruit, a soft piano-driven AOR ballad with Winger on vocals and Ruddess on piano, creating a melancholic and emotional farewell.

Another strong attempt by Ruddess on virtuosic, technical but always well-executed Heavy/Prog Rock with focus on keyboard and guitar interactions.Love it at moments, this comes definitely strongly recommended...3.5 stars.