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A band name like Garaj Mahal triggers certain expectations when one first hears it. It could be an adventurous group, fusing punk, rock, blues, or jazz, with an exotic variety of world rhythms. This expectation only grows after learning that the group includes a Pakistani/Chilean guitarist and a German/Liberian bassist. That is what we expected just before last night's early set at Blues Alley, but that is not exactly what the band delivered. Instead of contemporary music infused with global elements, the energetic five-song set showcased eighty minutes of classic uptempo jazz-rock fusion that time warped the audience back to the electric jazz of the 1970s.
Fusion is generally considered "musician's music" and places considerable technical demands on those who wish to play it. In the 70s, a new breed of jazz musician began to emerge. These players were at home playing straight ahead jazz, but they had also grown up on the rock music of the 60s. Thus, a new movement started that combined the improvisational and harmonic elements of jazz with the aggressiveness and driving rhythms rock. Bands such as Tony William's Lifetime, John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and Chick Corea's Return to Forever were at the vanguard of one of the most innovative and fertile periods in the history of jazz. The music was not without critics as these musicians were sometimes guilty of sacrificing pure emotional content for technical and compositional sophistication. The musicians of Garaj Mahal, however, obviously grew up studying and loving this music. Make no mistake, the musicians on stage last night could play and they were not afraid of demonstrating their instrumental prowess.
Image taken from Garaj Mahal's web site
The experienced group included guitarist Fareed Haque, a professor at Northern Illinois University, who has played for range of band leaders that spans from jazz vocalist Kurt Elling to Sting. Keyboard player Eric Levy, a former student of Haque's, is a veteran of Chicago's blues scene and the band member most willing to delve into abstraction. Kai Eckhardt has worked with fusion legends such as John McLaughlin and drummer Billy Cobham. His bass playing recalls the likes of Jaco Pastorius and Marcus Miller. The band's usual drummer, Alan Hertz, a heavyweight on the jam band circuit, could not make last night's gig, so the audience had the pleasure of listening to the fiery drumming of local fusion drummer Sean "The Rick" Rickman. Rickman has toured and recorded with cerebral saxophonist Steve Coleman as well as neo-soulsters Maxwell and Me'shell N'Degeocello. As evidence of Rickman's skill, drumming legend Dennis Chambers came to the club last night to check out the show.
The evening got off to a rough start with some technical difficulties at the beginning of "Down in the Basement," but once the problems were solved, the band launched into a twenty minute workout that saw solos aplenty. A highlight was the trading between bass and piano that took place just before a closing drum solo. Most of the remaining tunes followed the same pattern of uptempo 4/4 grooves with each player getting a chance to explore the full range of his instrument. "Stoked on Rasaki" featured some unexpected keyboard sounds and a wicked bass solo, while "The Rick" brought the thunder during his solo on "Mondo Garaj." The highlight of the set was "Bullion Is So Good for Soup," a R&B-ish tune that opened with a soulful piano intro that was gospel in feel while drawing from a diverse set of influences. This song's success might give weight to fusion's critics and illustrate that sometimes less is more.
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Damn. I'm sorry I missed this. GM has been around for a long time. I thought they just gave up on DC.