The Absolute Sound

Garaj Mahal

w00t

Garaj Mahal stands out in the crowded jam-band scene by virtue of a resume that includes stints with the likes of Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dave Holland. Guitarist Fareed Haque recorded three Blue Note albums as a leader and toured with Joe Zawinul; keyboardist Eric Levy is an alum of Haque's trio and boasts electric piano chops; bassist Kai Eckhardt has played for the John McLaughlin Trio and Stanely Clarke.

Whereas many jam bands are rooted in rock improv, the richly textured and genre-leaping sound of Garaj Mahal harkens back to the '70's funk and fusion-jazz scenes. Woot, the band's third studio album, is a dazzling showcase of diverse virtuosity. "Pundit-ji" provides an inkling of what Return to Forever might have sounded like if Corea and company hadn't been so serious about its sci-fi pretensions. "Bass Solo" is marked by the kind of rapid changes in style, texture, and time signatures that characterizes much of Garaj Mahal's material. "Ishmail and Isaac" draws from Eastern European Jewish melodies, heavy metal, and jazz.

Recorded at the analog-embracing and recently closed Plant Studios, Woot packs a dynamic wallop that comes across on details ranging from the gospel organ on "Uptown Tippitinas" to the space-age guitar harmonics of "Jamie's Jam."