Khabu Doug Youg

Khabu Doug Youg and the Russian Dragon Band: The Book of Bhu

by Farrell Lowe
December 11, 2003

Guitarist Khabu Doug Young's first outing as a leader is whimsical, musical, and deceptively deep. It seems he's been saving up his vast musical awareness to simply cut loose with this double album tour-de-force. The music is well-executed, well-conceived, and covers a dizzyingly broad tableau of styles and influences.

For example, the album opens with a multiple horn tone poem that leans heavily towards contrapuntal chamber music, while the next piece harkens more to the spirited duets ...