Gamak

"Gamak" is a trip; a joyful one at that. You almost get sucked into the cd player at the outset, with "Waiting is Forbidden." It's like being dropped into a frenetic, tempestuous Indian street scene. Next, "Abhogi" takes you to what sounds like the an Indian belly dance fest, with swirling sounds and movement. The visit proceeds at a jaunty pace throughout. Mahanthappa exhibits why he's so well thought of in jazz circles today and his rhythm section is steller, with Dan Weiss audacious on drums, David Fiuczynski on electric guitar, and acoustic bassist Francois Moutin. One track asks "Are There Clouds in India?" If there are, "Gamak" easily blows them away.

Rudresh make a new great album. Full of energy and with incredible structures. He is great with the alto saxophone. David Fiuczynskiis a guitarist different, absolute different to the rest. Francois Moutin is perfect in bass and Dan Weiss make the perfect rithm for this quartet. "Gamak" is a another combination between different kinds of music. Orient and occident sound together in a perfect combination. Is more easy to hear than "Samdhi" and more brilliant. Probably the best is the combination of sound between Mahanthappa and Fiuczynski ( usual guitar man with Jack DeJonette). A great new jazz album with oriental flavor

interesting combo of instruments and genres put to jazz composition. Well worth listening to, and more than once, as it gets better each time.

These musicians convey the essence of Jazz and do honor to the form. For those of us who love and follow all styles of jazz, it is exciting to experience their music and reassuring to know that great jazz musicians are still developing and contributing their magic in a world less appreciative of the art of Jazz.

I like it but it has a very random feel to it, not very musical in the overall sense. The fretless guitar noises were the highlight of the album for me.

The additional of David Fiuczynski on guitar to an ensemble that has already released a number of excellent recordings has taken the music to an even higher plain. This is easily one of the most exciting CDs I've purchased in a long time.

Great playing throughout.

It was fine and we have it. Thank you very much.P. Keith

Its incredibly inventive, with surreal twist and turns. Making use of staccato attacks, Rud is in control of his instrument. Ace back up musicians from New York. A sonic tour de force, this disc is for those adventurous souls that like their musical diet on the spicy side.If you are not one of these like minded spirits, please pass this disc. Its not for you I believe.CheersLuc

Surprising, time after time, every new setting, Mahanthappa shows progression and refreshing forward-going interests.He is one of those rare masters that adds something that is even more than typical in caracter, wich on itself is an achievement allready, but he also shows the way ahead !Think I have become a fan.. Have seen and heard his concerts and collected everything he brought out on disc.Wish I could also get a hand on all radio-concerts and other live-recordings. Live he is fantastic! But here, on CD, he shows a very close connection to that warming Live-energy.The drummer is something from outofspace in his playing, cannot subscribe the tension, originallity and teasing seemingly easy way of playing that comes from his corner. Bass is done by a guy with the technical skills of Stanley Clarcke , but he plays a six-string-bass and has a very poetic way of approaching Mahanthappa's dictations and escapes in free-scapes.. Those two, the bass-guitar and that man, they feel and look like a one-unit.He really fills and adds. The guitarman on this disc is something special. he is the mixer of everything.Hardrock till carnatic Hundustan and everything inbetween passes by. Sometimes, during the concert in Amsterdam, he had a bit of trouble following the waterquick lines of Mahanthappa, but compensated that easily by surprising interfalls and shifts on his double-guitar. On the CD that powerfull tension is feelable, driving to the edge, I like that !This is honest stuff and gives a lot of good energy coming from a couple of young men in the sunbrightness of their lives. Just have to love it and just have to follow them with Mahanthappa in the centrepoint of interest.What i like about him too..: Though he is selebrated and given prices and rewards, top-poll-ratings and star-roles in the Festivals, the guy remains humble and ongoing in his search for the following step, still plays in the small jazzclubs and knows where he goes; onward to the next step in original new jazz !..In this one he connects all bloodlines of music in one fresh new original blend. Enjoy !, Ad

Irgendwie wird man den Verdacht nicht los, Rudresh Mahanthappa wäre eine mitindischen Roots versehene Reinkarnation von Charles Parker jr.Ähnlich energetisch, nervös, innovativ und kompromisslos wie Bird in den 40ern,treibt der zweifache Downbeat Critics Poll Winner sein Auditorium mit einemabsolut zeitgemäßen Jazz/Funk/Rock-Gebräu, versetzt mit vorwiegend indischenaber auch indonesisch/afrikanisch/chinesischen Elementen, vor sich her.Die Frage ob Mahanthappa mit "Gamak" halten kann, was er mit "Samdhi" versprochenhat, darf man - so meine ich - ruhigen Gewissens mit einem klaren ja beantworten.Der Umstieg vom E-Bass Rich Brown`s zu "Akustiker" Francois Moutin gibt dem Ganzeneine subtilere Note und mit Gitarrist David Fiuczynski hat der Alto-Kapitän einenavantgardistisch bewährten, mit allen Wassern gewaschenen Virtuosen an Bord geholt.Dem Titel Gamak - abgeleitet von Gamaka, dem südindischen Terminus für "MelodischeAusschmückung" - wird diese Einspielung im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes gerecht.Wenn auch ab und an "Mahavishnu" aufblitzt, ist dieses bei weitem elastischere,flexiblere, intellektuellere Werk dennoch meilenweit vom Plagiat entfernt.Reitet Mahanthappa auf dieser Welle weiter, wird er - so scheint es - um den Titel"Alto-Saxophonist of the Century" nicht herumkommen.

David Fiuczynski(G)とRudresh Mahanthappa(as) ついにって感じ聞きたいけど聞きたくないってのが、購入前の印象。Fiuczynskiはリーダーの時はいいけど、参加作品になるとあまりっていうのが多くて自分が出すぎるとリーダーくっちゃうっていうのを考えて・な・の・かなー。（因みに全てを聞いているのでないので・・なんともではあるが・・）参加作品ではCindy Blaｃkmanのトリオプラスが私敵にはベスト。これは略リーダー作ですばらしい。indian American で相性は悪くはないが、２人とも個性が強い為、どうなるかと思いきやさて視聴してみて、両者のいいとこが出ておりGood！参加作品ではトリオプラス以来の出来。mahanthappaが全て曲を書いているので、かなり気をつかってというか両者もそのことを理解していた為か（Jack dejohnette と一緒のバンドに少しいたせいもあるが）アドリブも両者同じぐらいの割合で、曲の途中はFiuczynskiのアルバムか？って思われる楽曲も多い。ドラムスもいわいるjazzっていうのとは違うたたき方をしている曲も多いが、いつものファンクビートでない少しjazzっぽいバックでのFiuczynskiは好きだなー。只もう少しトレモノアーム使ってくれて、もう少し音大きかったらなー。購入して損はない。

Rudresh Mahanthappa und die Zusammensetzung der Band ist schon ein Highlight. Gamak ist eine erfolgreiche Fortsetzung seiner Projekte und ich bin mir sicher, wir könnn noch einiges von diesem Ausnahmemusiker erwarten.