Reflections from the Firepool

Reflections from the Firepool Artist: Djam Karet
Label: Cuneiform
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 045775013923
EAN: 0045775013923
ASIN: B00004WF2J


Release Date: 2000-09-19

Reflections from the Firepool


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General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive Rock Progressive Rock
Categories | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
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Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
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Categories | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. The Sky Opens Twice
  2. Fall Of The Monkeywalk
  3. Run Cerberus Run
  4. Scenes From The Electric Circus
  5. Animal Origin
  6. All Doors Look Alike
  7. The Red Monk
  8. Reflections From The Firepool

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Amazon.com

Djam Karet is one of the few groups holding onto the progressive-music torch who aren't looking backward. This reissue of a 1989 release still sounds fresh a decade later, as it opens with the roar of an engine and then never lets up on the throttle. It's powered by the syncro-mesh of drummer Chuck Oken Jr. and bassist Henry J. Osborne, who lock into complex polyrhythmic, multipart compositions with a juggernaut intensity and then spin on a dime in another direction. Riding herd on this maelstrom are guitarists Gayle Ellett and Mike Henderson. Their sinewy solos swirl in refractions of electricity. On the Moroccan rhythms of "Fall of the Monkey Walk," their siren feedback guitars intertwine in long glissandos like elegant scrawls of light on slow-speed film. Djam Karet still show their influences on "The Sky Opens Twice." Split in two parts, one nods toward King Crimson, the other bows to the swirling organ and mantra-blues rhythms of early Pink Floyd. The title cut loses steam, although the train that rides through the middle, recorded right outside their studio, is a nice touch. <I>--John Diliberto</I>

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars YOU RASCALLY RABBIT ..........2006-08-20

I'd like to know what "Djam Karet" means??? Bugs Bunny or Peter Rabbit keep popping into my head when I listen - "where's that damn carrot"? Whatever ... I have had this for a few years but my son sequestered it into his room not long after it arrived so I haven't listened to it much. Well, I retrieved it and plopped in front of the speakers and gave it a thorough absorption, and then I played guitar to it on the second pass. I really like this band!

As you can see from other reviews King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes, Camel, Gentle Giant, Kansas, Brand X, Santana, John Mcglaughlin, Tool, Dream Theater, Return to Forever and many other jazz fusion and prog rock artists have similarities to Djam Karet, which is a great thing to my jaded ears. The band members are ALL fantastic, with barely a misstep in these instrumental powerhouse jams.

The interactions between the members are tight and exciting most of the time; this bass player (Henry Osborne) is all over the place in a Victor Wooten or Dave Larue mode and the drumming (Chuck Oken, Jr.) is old-school power progressive like Billy Cobham, Andy Ward or Alan White. As a guitar player primarily (I play bass and drums often too), I am pretty impressed with their chops generally, although I don't know this band well enough to distinguish between Gayle Ellett and Mike Henderson (the two guitarists). Shades of Gambale, Hillage, Hedges, Santana or even Di Meola are apparent to me.

They are great at grabbing the moment in a "djam" environment and throwing the energy around in a compelling and spontaneous way (remember Santana and McGlaughlin albums). I also like how this band keeps away from the over-composed/produced sound of many prog bands of late, and the over-emphasis on pummeling you with speed and noise for the sake of perceived modernity. This is just free-wheelin' fun, straight from the spirit, jam band explorations I love and appreciated in the 70's (and still do obviously).

Normally I review music that is more implanted in my subconscious so that emotions and brain can give a balanced opinion. If I had more of their releases, and knew them better, maybe I could get to the "love it" stage (and bump it to 5 stars from what is now 4.5, between "like and love it") and have something to say about specific songs and passages (they're all good). There is a lot going on here, it takes awhile to process all of the energy and ideas played out on Firepool. It looks like some more exploration is in order.

Thanks guys for carrying on the prog/fusion tradition despite what is trendy these days. Find some time to get into Djam Karet, they are more nutritious than the common stew ingredient (it is hard for instrumental bands to make a living; generously support quality bands IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, great music is a value as compared with a movie ticket or a couple of beers at the pub).

4 out of 5 stars

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