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Dewa Budjana: Zentuary
by Chris M. Slawecki
Indonesian composer, guitarist and bandleader Dewa Budjana's tenth release (and his first on guitarist Steve Vai's label Favored Nations in association with Budjana's usual label, MoonJune) reviews, consolidates and advances his sound. Budjana's three decades of performing and recording, including collaborations with jazz A-listers as Peter Erskine, Joe Locke and Larry Goldings, are worth the retrospective. Even better, Budjana celebrates this milestone release with most likely his best band ever--drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist/stickman Tony Levin and drummer and keyboardist Gary ...
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by John Kelman
In retrospect, all paths have truly led to this. Four increasingly impressive recordings for Moonjune Records have brought Dewa Budjana together with a variety of high profile, top-drawer jazz musicians from the American west and east coasts. Each successive album, from 2013's Dawai in Paradise through to 2015's Hasta Karma, have found the Indonesian guitarist raising an already high bar with challenging yet eminently accessible compositions that, once the initial tracks were recorded, Budjana subsequently expanded in post-production with contributions ...
Continue ReadingDewa Budjana: Hasta Karma
by Tyran Grillo
Hasta Karma is the eighth solo album from Dewa Budjana. Though famous as a rock guitarist in his native Indonesia, one might never know it by the way he plays jazz, a path he has been seeking, and owning, for nearly two decades. The expansive foundation of “Saniscara," which introduces this supple set, underscores the talents of a topflight studio band. It's by no coincidence that Dewa should have hooked up with bassist Ben Williams and drummer António Sanchez, both ...
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by Chris M. Slawecki
In the mid-1990s, Gary Burton organized sessions that truly deserved to be called “all-star"--teaming the ace vibes player with guitarist Pat Metheny, pianist Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Roy Haynes--and which resulted in the acclaimed Like Minds (1998, Concord). With all respect due to the amazing credentials of Burton and friends, Dewa Budjana's Hasta Karma frequently echoes and matches the stunning, glistening beauty of the music made by Burton's five Like Minds. For his fourth MoonJune ...
Continue ReadingDewa Budjana (with Jimmy Johnson & Vinnie Colaiuta): Surya Namaskar
by Glenn Astarita
For his seventh solo release, Indonesian guitar master Dewa Budjana garners support from the all-universe rhythm section of Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Jimmy Johnson (bass). Many of these works equate to a concentrated focus on song-forms, largely comprised of tuneful themes and elevated with a guts and determination modus operandi. Budjana presents the best of both worlds within a jazz rock and jazz fusion realm, where rich melodies and a dynamic slant offer a platform that resonates loud and clear. ...
Continue ReadingDewa Budjana (with Jimmy Johnson & Vinnie Colaiuta): Surya Namaskar
by Ian Patterson
Guitarist Dewa Budjana's two releases on MoonJune Records in 2013, Dawai in Paradise and Joged Kahyangan introduced a talented musician whose Indonesian roots dovetailed with prog rock, jazz fusion and a melodic pop sensibility; Budjana showed tremendous chops but, as he demonstrates once again, he's perhaps primarily a tunesmith. Budjana draws from a similar well of influences on this recording but in contrast to Joged Kahyangan's charts Surya Namaskar boasts a freer, less constructed vibe with Budjana's solos coarser in ...
Continue ReadingDewa Budjana: Joged Kahyangan
by Ian Patterson
A million-selling artist in Indonesia with pop-rock band Gigi, guitarist Dewa Budjana's solo projects informed by progressive rock, Indonesian folk and jazz fusion reveal a greater spirit of adventure. Budjana's second release of 2013 on the MoonJune label following Dawai in Paradise is similarly melodic, though differs significantly. Firstly, the word-fusion-meets-prog rock of Dawai in Paradise gives way to a more overtly contemporary jazz approach on Joged Kahyangan. Secondly, whereas the earlier release featured predominantly Indonesian musicians, Budjana harnesses heavyweight ...
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