Jazz Articles

Garaj Mahal: Blueberry Cave

by Chris M. Slawecki
November 26, 2005

The fifth studio release from this San Francisco quartet embodies the modern instrumental jam band movement and preserves the freewheeling legacy of 1970s progressive rock along the way.

Alan Hertz (drums), Eric Levy (keyboards), Kai Eckhardt (bass), and Fareed Haque (guitar) came into Garaj Mahal from varied backgrounds: Eckhardt played in John McLaughlin's trio, for example, while Haque served as an occasional musical sparring partner for the late drummer Tony Williams and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. But one thing ...

Modereko: Solar Igniter

by Chris M. Slawecki
April 13, 2004

One of the world’s premier “Grooverockjamjazz” bands, the Modereko quintet consists of co-founders John Molo (drums, loops, vocals) and Bobby Read (saxophones, flute, clarinet) with JT Thomas (keyboards), Dan Conway (bass), and Tim Kobza (guitar). Their collective roots are in instrumental rock of high quality (Blue Thumb, an imprint of the hallowed Verve jazz label, released their eponymous debut) and colorful variety: Thomas and Read also play with pianist Bruce Hornsby, while Molo was Hornsby’s original drummer and more recently ...

Ulu: Nerve

by Chris M. Slawecki
January 9, 2004

The musical journey of the quartet Ulu – Scott Chasolen on keyboards, Josh Dion on drums, Brian Killeen on bass, and Aaron Gardner on tenor saxophone and flute – has crossed paths with such inventive jazz, groove, and jam band musicians as John Scofield, the Mickey Hart Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Moe., Soulive, the Jazz Mandolin Project, De La Soul, and the Greyboy All-Stars. Ulu released its eponymous debut, recorded in a home studio, in 1998; in 1999, ...

Garaj Mahal: Live, Vols. 1-3

by Chris M. Slawecki
May 11, 2003

Individually and in combinations, the members of Garaj Mahal - Eric Levy (keyboards), Alan Hertz (drums), Kai Eckhardt (bass) and Fareed Haque (guitar) - have accompanied Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeola, Steve Smith's Vital Information, and the John McLaughlin Trio. These three simultaneous (individually packaged) live sets fish with hip young bait in the hopes of making a big splash in the same free-flowing, neo-hippie college radio jam band waters in which such bands as Phish and Widespread Panic ...