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Lynne Arriale is a jazz pianist. Her initial training was classical but her interest in the works of Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock led her to jazz. Arriale first came to prominence when she won the 1993 International Great American Jazz Piano Competition and performed at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival. Lynne is currently professor of jazz piano at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Arriale’s performances and recordings with her trio led to comparisons with the great tr...

Lynne Arriale is a jazz pianist. Her initial training was classical but her interest in the works of Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock led her to jazz. Arriale first came to prominence when she won the 1993 International Great American Jazz Piano Competition and performed at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival. Lynne is currently professor of jazz piano at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.

Arriale’s performances and recordings with her trio led to comparisons with the great trios of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, yet she has been consistently praised as having a “singular voice” as a pianist, leader, composer, and arranger. “I really can’t compare her to anyone,” said recent collaborator and multi-Grammy winner Randy Brecker. “Her music transcends the word ‘jazz’ – it is just pure music.”

She has recorded 13 CDs as a leader, was the winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, toured Japan with 100 Golden Fingers (Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Monty Alexander, Cedar Walton and Kenny Barron) and has performed and/or recorded with jazz icons Benny Golson, Randy Brecker and George Mraz. Her international performances on concert and festival stages include the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center, The Gilmore, Spoleto Arts, Montreux (where she recorded “Live at Montreux) Montreal, Monterey, North Sea, Burghausen, (where she recorded ‘LIVE’), Stuttgart, Pori, San Francisco, Ottawa, Zagreb, Perth and Brisbane Jazz Festivals and recently in South Africa with full symphony orchestra.

Arriale’s recordings have topped the National jazz radio charts and numerous “Best Of” lists; she has been featured on PBS and multiple NPR programs, Billboard, Downbeat, JazzTimes and cover stories for JazzEd, One Way, M Magazine and other national and international media outlets.

Arriale’s CD, “Convergence” was named one of the top CDs internationally by JazzTimes Magazine, and “Solo” was named one of the top CDs of 2012 by JAZZIZ Magazine.

In addition to her active performing career, Lynne is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Piano, Director of Small Ensembles at The University of North Florida and a Yamaha Artist.
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