Fareed Haque

Driving on my way to work this afternoon, the sun is finally shining, and my ride is going to be accompanied by the funky jazz-rock influenced grooves of Garaj Mahal. The first track, "The Shadow," would alone be worth the price of this album, for it takes you on an over 9-minute journey.

Mixing cultures here but hey, it’s all in the musical family. Led Zeppelin reached a key summit with their 1975 release “Physical Graffiti.” In retrospect, this Moroccan album via the Flames of Albion overshadowed their mysterious ‘Runes’ album, which contained “Stairway” and the blues masterpiece of production and sound “When the Levee Breaks.” Graffiti featured the ethereal trance classic “Kashmir.” Lead vocalist Robert Plant, lead guitarist and chief Zep mystic Jimmy Page – rock music’s most talented studio producer - and former Page band mate, Jeff Beck, have all sited this song as the definitive Bonham-Jones-Page-Plant pearl. The rest of the album wasn’t chopped liver, either…Custard Pie, The Rover, In My Time of Dying, Trampled Underfoot, In the Light, Ten Years Gone, The Wanton Song, Sick Again - need I continue?

Garaj Mahal is the merger of four virtuoso musicians, bassist Kai Eckhardt, guitarist Fareed Haque, drummer Alan Hertz, and keyboardist Eric Levy, who successfully blend the styles of jazz, funk, and rock like no other band before them. Perhaps the label of “Jamband Supergroup” suits them most appropriately, as these players each have an impressive musical resume for which they bring to Garaj Mahal. Their unique blend of styles and musical cohesiveness have earned them praise by both fans and musicians alike, and their latest release, “Mondo Garaj,” only further proves that Garaj Mahal is the real deal and are torchbearers to a jamband movement all their own.

Ah, futility. I have thrown my hands in the air, unable to wrap any brand of verbiage around these phenomenal live releases from the band you should know and love, Garaj Mahal. In spite of this, I’ll give it a shot.