Search - Jonas Hellborg;Shawn Lane;V. Selvaganesh :: Good People in Times of Evil

Stunning musicianship

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 10/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Technique and rhythmic interplay here are consistently at an extraordinary level." This statement is absolutly true. Another one is false, I suppose. This music was not recorded live in India but in an Italian studio, in Spoleto. Anyway, the music contened in this cd is exceptional. It is quite similar to the kind of fusion between indian and western music played by John McLaughlin's Shakti. I think you have to love this kind of musical situation to fully enjoy this compilation. The music you can find here is really indian in a sense. The form is raga, a modal kind of music where you have a pedal (a single gravitational note, a single fixed chord used as base) running for the full lenght of the track. The kind of rhythms are sure indian but with some kind of western flavour here and there. On this "statical" base musicians improvise melodically but more than anything else rythmically on a certain scale. The thing that is really important to listen to is the interplay going on between the musicians, here at an extraordinary level. For what concerned the single musician, Hellborg has developed a stunning slap technique on the bass to fully render this kind of music. Selvaganesh is absolutly outstanding both on vocals and percussions. He is a one man band. The things he can do rythmically and melodically are unbelievable. He is probably the best indian musician in the world. Shawn Lane, well, he belongs to a separate category. He's one of my all time favourite musician. I can't do justice to his guitar playing with simple words. Some people say Petrucci is a master. If this is true, how should we call Lane? God? The only complaint, for what I am concerned is in the mixing. Lane is often mixed too far, his lines are not always perfectly audible. He is not really in front of the listener when he is soloing. He is a little too far ... the rythmn section is too loud. Anyway, apart from this, this album contains a spectacular collection of improvisations.
Ciao Shawn, I'm so sad you're gone. Stay in peace."

Hellborg still improves

J. Russell | Vancouver | 07/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sweedish bass player (or bass guitarist) Jonas Hellborg has been picking up from where Jaco left off years ago. Showing how the electric bass can be used to play huge chords, accompany itself, and drive the melody of a song. More intelligent use of the bass then even Jaco dreamed of Hellborg continues to astound on this disc. His playing is smooth, virtuosic, intelligent, and original. He's no mindless showoff like Wooten, and he plays better. Shawn Lane finally learns that other musicians play on these albums and offers his best playing since Temporal Analogues of Paradise, the solo on the final track is truly inspired. Like a funky, blues inpired, jazz fused Indian, if you can imagine such a thing. Selveganesh plays absolutely amazing and shows this rockin' couple that a Ghatam can easily replace a drum kit. This is what Shakti should of done when they came back. It is true world fusion, not just a visit to things that have been done before with new instrumentation. Hellborg is still the best composer that fusion has ever seen. This is the first time I have truly understood why Hellborg chose to play with Shawn Lane. The next album with these three, Icon, showed me why Shawn may be the best alive."

Joey in Mississippi

J. Russell | 03/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is the baddest, most layed-back, groove-oriented group of tracks I ever tuned my ears into. Every single cut is a keeper. Shawn Lane is no after thought here. Rather, he is making a huge team effort by playing the music the way it was played before he was born. His guitar lines are universal and inspired and full of sonorous melodies. Jonas is dishing out his best, too. I still don't see how he can get such fast riffs and technical polyrhythms out of an acoustic bass. He does, however, and I feel no sense of musical masterbation in his playing. It is solid and inspired. Selveganesh is the baddest kanjira player on the earth. Anyone who hasn't heard what he can do or who has heard him but hasn't seen his instrument will be confounded. The kanjira is a lizard skin covered tambourine-sized drum with one set of brass jingles. The range of tones and pitches he gets are no less than any double bass drum trap kit. And this album demonstrates his skill better than any Shakti album I have heard so far.
The album was recorded live in Italy. Selve overdubbed Udu pot later that night on some tracks and it is TIGHT! This is simply the most incredible album of instrumental music I have ever heard. Oh yeah....Selva does a great vocal Konokol solo in the middle of Leal Souvenir. It, too, is inspired."