DEWA BUDJANA — Surya Namaskar (review)

DEWA BUDJANA — Surya Namaskar album cover Album · 2014 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
Although Dewa Budjana has been putting out albums from his home base in Indonesia for many years, “Surya Namaskar is just his third album since he was able to reach a larger western audience by signing on with the MoonJune label. His first album with MoonJune was almost cinematic in its ambitious electro-orchestral approach, while his second came across as a little lighter. This third one finds Budjana back on track, but this time around with a lot more electric guitar, as well as more straight ahead jazz-rock jamming too. It was obvious on his earlier albums that Dewa could burn on the guitar when he wanted to, but on “Surya” he makes sure that those who like his well developed solos get all they need.

Much of this CD is in that style of fusion that features lengthy multi-sectioned semi-orchestrated songs. Some might be reminded of 70s albums such as RTF’s “Romantic Warrior” or Mahavishnu’s “Visions of the Emerald Beyond”. Some of the top tracks on here include “Duaji and Guruji”, with its killer repeating retro-rock riff, and “Kalingga”, which features some intense neo-psychedelic jams. “Kalingga” opens with a delicate solo on the Sundanese violin by guest Kang Pupling, which makes a great intro for the 60s flavored fuzz guitar riffs that follow. Most of the other tracks on here are good, although things seem to loose a little steam towards the end.

Jimmy Johnson on bass and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums are well known in the world of fusion and they provide the expected high energy and creatively aggressive backup for Budjana’s pyro-techniques. Fans of guitar centered classic fusion should pick this up. Dewa Budjana is one of the very best today, and far more musical than those who are just obsessed with speed.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Música Imaginaria 21st Century Modern
BALDO MARTINEZ
Buy this album from MMA partners
Alberto Nemo, Claudio Milano (with borda), Niccolò Clemente : Frattura, Comparsa, Dissolvenza Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CLAUDIO MILANO (NICHELODEON)
Buy this album from MMA partners
Shapes of Silence (live) World Fusion
ALEPH QUINTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Horizons Held Close Jazz Related Improv/Composition
TRANCE MAP (EVAN PARKER AND MATTHEW WRIGHT)
Buy this album from MMA partners
Puttin' On the Ritz Classic (1920s) Jazz
THE NEW WONDERS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Música Imaginaria
BALDO MARTINEZ
snobb· 22 minutes ago
Puttin' On The Ritz
THE NEW WONDERS
js· 13 hours ago
Wet Weather Wet
THE WRONG OBJECT
js· 1 day ago
Michael Kiwanuka - Lowdown (parts i and ii)
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
js· 1 day ago
Who Needs You (Billie Holiday-Jeanne Burns) by Ineza with Alex Webb & The Copasetics
INEZA (INEZA KERSCHKAMP)
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed