Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar

Recorded in Los Angeles during two sessions in 2013, Surya Namaskar (''Salute to the Sun'', in Balinese language) represents a significant change from Joged Kahyangan. While bassist Jimmy Johnson (Allan Holdsworth, James Taylor, Flim & the BB's) is back from that session, this time the drummer is the much in-demand powerhouse Vinnie Colaiuta (Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck, Sting), with ubiquitous guitar session ace Michael Landau (James Taylor, Renegade Creation) and drummer turned drummer/keyboardist Gary Husband (John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth) making valuable guest appearances on one track each. The sum total of Surya Namaskar is most definitely greater than its individual parts. Together with his two previous MoonJune recordings - Dawai in Paradise (January, 2013) and Joged Kahyangan (October, 2013) - Surya Namaskar paints the ongoing portrait of a guitarist who may be a superstar in the Indonesian pop-rock world as a founding member of the multi-million selling Gigi (celebrating this year their 20th anniversary), but whose lesser-known credibility and, more importantly, visibility as a jazz guitarist is slowly on the ascendance, as more and more international progressive jazz fans discover the depth, the heart, and the profound spirituality of Dewa Budjana, at fifty a new guitar hero of strength, creativity and significance.

You might also like...