Search - Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane :: Icon - A Transcontinental Gathering

Hellborg's Best

J. Russell | Vancouver | 07/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jonas Hellborg has been trying to make an album like this for years. Good People in Times of Evil, the album before this, was fantastic and hinted at the things to come. This album is even better, mixing funk, indian carnatic music, jazz, rock, country, progessive fusion, and Hellborgs inimitable style. Shawn Lane proves himself to be not just another McLaughlin immitator, but quite possibly the best electric plectrum guitar player on the planet, his solo on track two is the best solo I've heard in over a decade. Hellborg, likewise, demonstrates his considerable bass talents and shows us that he is more that Jaco could ever be. Umamahesh, the bands new singer and brother of Selvaganesh (ghatam player), sings his heart out without ever falling into the trap most singers fall into, which is making the band do nothing but accompany him. Umamaheshs' virtuosity is undeniable and his singing style makes him another musician on an album that stays instrumental, despite having a singer, he trades melodic lines with the other players and uses his voice as backup occasionaly. This should have recieved many album of the year awards but Hellborgs work always goes unnoticed. If you even have a passing interest in any of the things you've heard about this album, buy it. It is the finest, and most original music I have heard in years, making Shakti sound like it was done by amateurs. This album should not be ignored. World class musicains playing world class compositions, virtuosity, originality, feeling, intellectual musical ideas, true fusion (not a little of this and a little of that but a true seamless blend), and highly listenable as either a back-drop to what you are doing or the focus of your attention. I can't say enough about this album, it's that good."

Mind trip

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 10/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a sort of trip in Indian most mysterious atmospheres. If this album would be this thing alone it would be well worth buying. It is a lot more instead. It's a perfect match between western and indian music. The results are outstanding. The best thing is that this music is emotionally very deep and intense. You can travel with your mind and fantasy listening to this album, going in places you've never been before. Umanesh has a voice which has an eternal beauty, a kind of ethereal character that can trascend time and places. He is a great addiction to the "Good people in times of evil" line up. He gave to this album a special spiritual quality. I don't want to talk no more about single musicians here because I want to give you the impression of the music contened in Icon as a complete, intense, complete in itself musical experience. It is a sonic magma of sheer perfection, it is that beautiful. But let me say that Shawn Lane was something special."

Outerspace fusion

karna | mourning for shawn | 10/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is just brilliant. Unbelievable. Jonas Hellborg has taken the direction of Good People In Times Of Evil and rocketed it to another galaxy altogether. The players are the same (with the addition of Selvaganesh's brother V.Umamahesh on vocals) but with a few key stylistic twists - this is more of a concept/vibe album rather than a collection of specific tunes, also a myriad great guitar tones and effects from Shawn Lane (the previous album had more of a standard clean type of tone) give the album a kind of mysterious, trance like feel. The addition of vocals really frees the band to go where no one has ever gone before, with spectacular results. Umamahesh's vocals are very much in sympathy with the vibe of the rest of the band. Hellborg says that the brothers' father, legendary percussionist T.H "Vikku" Vinayakram was the one who suggested his other son take up vocal duties. Umamahesh pulls off this formidable task remarkably well. To me, both the highlight and the most haunting part of this album is Shawn Lane's just gorgeous guitar work. Lane reveals the guitar on a plane previously unknown. A unique combination of unfathomable technique and limitless musical ideas just pours forth from the guitar in all kinds of tones, shades and colorations. Lane's artistry demonstrates not only his considerable mastery of the Carnatic Indian style of melodic ornamentation, but virtually every other style of music you could possibly have heard. This creates an incredibly multilayered sort of fabric. Of all Lane's beautiful, amazing work over the years, his playing on "Mirror" is at the same time the most beautiful and the most amazing guitar I have ever heard. "Escape" which closes the album is another highlight for it's sheer exuberance. Approximating the "tilana" style of Carnatic melody which is traditionally performed as a closing number in South Indian classical concerts, the track features some absolutely stupefying interplay between the musicians. All in all, this is a landmark achievement, and even perhaps ever so small a consolation, given Shawn Lane's untimely passing, that such milestones as this were reached before his unparalleled voice was forever transported from us."