Zakir Hussain - Making Music
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Free Music Notes for Making Music
Free Music Review: Not always profound, but great fun
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this album, though other reviewers are perfectly right to point out the occasional shallow spots and sometimes over-prominent sax (why do so many of Garbarek's collaborations have this fault?). I don't think these musicians were always aiming for profundity in these sessions. The title I think is meant to be taken literally: these guys were simply making music. But it is great fun all the way through.
All the performers are highly prolific, amazingly versatile and deeply experienced collaborators. Getting them together was perhaps more of a good marketing idea than the result of any great meeting of musical minds, but the result is consistently more stimulating than any Kenny G. recording that I know.
There are also moments of great beauty, especially those produced by Hariprasad Chaurasia and Jan Garbarek. Garbarek's sax often takes up not only Indian melodies, but also mimics the intonations of Indian instruments.
Musical pleasure for almost every ear, made by great musicians having fun together.
Free Music Review: East Indian Music with a Dash of Jazz
Hit: 4 Stars
I'd describe this as mostly East Indian music with a couple of jazz songs included. All four musicians are quite gifted musically, but the album isn't perfect.
"Making Music" (the first song) is a 12-minute somewhat somber interplay between the four musicians,
"Water Girl" is a percussive worldbeat-type song featuring the tabla,
"Toni" is an "ECM-jazz" ballad featuring saxophone (the tone is excellent),
"Sunjog" is rhythmic jazz with each instrument entering in unison,
"You and Me" is an energetic tabla-guitar interplay and a great way to end the album,
and "Sabah" is another song which leans toward jazz.
(I think "Sabah" should have been the first song because it's not much of a show-stopper, but would generate more interest as an opener than "Making Music" which takes awhile to get moving.)
"Zakir" has some guitar later joined by some squeeling sax near the end of the song; it's my least favorite being somewhat meandering. "Anisa" is a 3-minute guitar solo followed by 6 minutes of solo tabla and voice ..definitely not jazz.
Overall, it's a great album, and a very good listen if I use the programming buttons.
Free Music Review: Chaurasia is GODLY
Hit: 4 Stars
Most of the tracks are really, really good....my special words are about 'Sunjog'. It starts with a rather unconventional note from Garbarek...Pardon my ignorance (if any) but I was not able to conclude if it is incorrect mixing or playing or a deliberately inserted 'noise' to make the oncoming note from Chaurasia, nothing but GODLY. I should admit that the first times I listened to it, the start of flute will almost bring a drop of tears in my eyes.
Must buy for anybody who wants to try Zakir, John and for anybody who wants to listen to any music of Zakir and John together, but outside of Shakti.
Free Music Review: Good but not great East-West fusion
Hit: 3 Stars
I have to agree with the other reviewers about the volume level of Garbarek. He's just too hot in the mix. It's somewhat jarring to my senses whenever he plays.This is unfortunate, because "Making Music" is otherwise a nice fusion of East & West. With players of this quality, it'd be hard for them to produce anything without musical worth.
This is overall a mellow excursion, maybe a bit too New Agey for my tastes. At points, such as during the track "Zakir", things almost start to sound Kenny G-ish.
I would definitely recommend looking elsewhere for all but the biggest fans of this style of music.
Free Music Review: Manfred Eischer please turn down the sax a hair
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a truly wonderful album and I agree with the other reviewers. I know it's for the sake of keeping it real but, Manfred the sax is way outta control volume wise. No fault of Mr.Garbarek. All of his albums seem to be like this. SKRONK me right outta my complacency why don't you. And I thought ECM's whole deal was to make it relaxing for the listener. I think they wanted us to experience what it's like to have our ears up to the bell of Jan's horn. Anyway I still love this music! Hariprasad is DA MAN! And Zakir and Mr. McLaughlin aren't too shabby either. Monumental!