Garaj Mahal lets music flow.Byline: Carolyn Lamberson The Register-Guard The musicians of Garaj Mahal Garaj Mahal is a four piece band, based in the United States, playing a fusion of jazz, Indian music, rock, and especially funk: Kai Eckhardt (bass), Fareed Haque (guitars), Alan Hertz (drums), and Eric Levy (keys). don't seem to be in a hurry. The jam band "supergroup" of bassist Kai Eckhardt Kai Eckhardt (June 15, 1961) is a German musician and composer who plays bass, best known for his work with John McLaughlin, the band Garaj Mahal and Billy Cobham. The Jaco Pastorius-influenced bassist is known for his ability to play lightning fast, and for his unique , guitarist Fareed Haque Fareed Haque (b. 1963) is a fusion guitar virtuoso of Pakistani and Chilean descent. He is renowned for balancing classical and jazz styles his jam band collaborations including, but not limited to, ones with Paquito D'Rivera, Dave Holland, Sting, Joe Henderson, Lester , keyboardist Eric Levy and drummer Alan Hertz hertz (hûrts) [for Heinrich R. Hertz], abbr. Hz, unit of frequency, equal to 1 cycle per second. The term is combined with metric prefixes to denote multiple units such as the kilohertz (1,000 Hz), megahertz (1,000,000 Hz), and gigahertz has just released its second studio album, "Blueberry blueberry, plant of the large genus Vaccinium, widely distributed shrubs (occasionally small trees) of the family Ericaceae (heath family), usually found on acid soil. They are often confused with the related huckleberry. Cave." That's just one more studio album since the group formed for a super jam session in 2000 to record the first album, "Mondo mon·do Slang adj. Enormous; huge: a mondo list of pizza toppings. adv. Extremely; very: a mondo big mistake. Garaj.' `At that time it was just `OK, who's got songs? Let's learn them and record them and see what comes out.' That was really what the first record was,' Levy said, adding with a laugh: "It ended up taking us a few years to get that one out. That's the good thing and bad thing about the democratic process and having a democratic band, is that everybody has input into decisions but decisions do seem to take a while to be made.' But with a new record out, the San Francisco-based band is thrilled to be hitting the road. Garaj Mahal will mark the release of "Blueberry Cave" with a short West Coast tour that stops in Eugene on Wednesday. `We are really excited about doing this tour because this is only our second studio release after five years of touring with this band,' Levy said. "It's been a long time between recording the original tracking of the album and finally getting it all mixed and ready to get out. `We're excited about being able to have that available. I certainly am proud of the work we've put into this release.' `Blueberry Cave," released on Harmonized har·mo·nize v. har·mo·nized, har·mo·niz·ing, har·mo·niz·es v.tr. 1. To bring or come into agreement or harmony. See Synonyms at agree. 2. Music To provide harmony for (a melody). Records, marks a departure from "Mondo Garaj," Levy said. Unlike "Mondo," where the group got together and started working up songs in the studio, the tracks on "Blueberry Cave" were for the most part extensively road- tested. `We already knew what we were doing in a live setting and the fun was playing all the basic tracks live as a quartet, but then having an opportunity to go back and layer on top of it,' Levy said. "Definitely being able to paint on top of it was a really wonderful experience.' Eckhardt predicts the next studio record - when it happens - will be different. Different how, he can't say. Yet. `It will reflect whatever changes the band is going through next. We're open-minded, but we're committed to being authentic to shaping and reshaping and remorphing, depending on what we encounter out there,' Eckhardt said. "We'll always be writing music, we'll always be touring, but we also don't have full control over what it's going to sound like, what the shape it's going to be.' The jam band scene is a diverse one, but each jam band shares a passion for improvisation improvisation Creation of music in real time. Improvisation usually involves some preparation beforehand, particularly when there is more than one performer. Despite the central place of notated music in the Western tradition, improvisation has often played a role, from the . While Garaj Mahal's members are well known for their abilities to bring new elements to the songs every night, capturing that energy in the studio can be a challenge. The band wanted to make sure the new CD had as much improvisation as practical. `So certainly in the recording of `Blueberry Cave,' we had a more definitive idea of where we wanted to go with song structure than we do live. It was like, `Let's play this verse once through then go to the guitar solo,' things like that,' ' Levy said. "But the live improvisation was able to come out because it was like we were sitting there playing and most all the solos on the album were played in the moment, which I think is a very important element to our mu- sic Latin, In such manner; so; thus. A misspelled or incorrect word in a quotation followed by "[sic]" indicates that the error appeared in the original source. .' Fans in Eugene know that about Garaj Mahal, having been on the band's bandwagon band·wag·on n. 1. An elaborately decorated wagon used to transport musicians in a parade. 2. Informal A cause or party that attracts increasing numbers of adherents: since the beginning. `The people in Eugene have been coming out consistently in numbers in numbered parts; as, a book published in numbers. See also: Number , supporting us,' Eckhardt said. "We hang with them when we go up there. `There is an atmosphere of activism and creativity mixed with music and we always feel at home when we go there.' CONCERT PREVIEW Garaj Mahal With: Eleven Eyes When: 9 p.m. Wednesday Where: WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave. Tickets: $12 advance, available at the WOW Hall, CD & Game Exchange, CD World, House of Records, La Oficina, Erb Memorial Union and online at www .ticketweb.com; $15 at the door CAPTION(S): Garaj Mahal: (from left) Eric Levy, Alan Hertz, Fareed Haque and Kai Eckhardt. They play Wednesday at the WOW Hall. |
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