Paris

Rating:
Summary: An evening in Paris
Review: A concert to savour. Shawn Lane is no longer with us but thankfully we have his recorded legacy to remind us of possibly the best electric guitarist who ever existed. This concert, teaming him with Jonas Hellborg and the Vinayakrams captures him indulging himself is his obsession with Carnatic music. Jazz fusion fans may find this a little left of centre at first (especially if all they've heard of Shawn is his fusion work)but it is essential viewing nevertheless.

This concert captures the Lane/Hellborg tag team in blistering form, in telepathic conversation with the vocalist and percussionists. People with short attentions spans be warned. Watching this is like watching a flower bloom. These guys are WORKING the material. Everything in its rightful place. And when you get to Lane or Hellborg soloing, its worth the price of admission.

Musicians who watch this are either going to get very scared or very motivated.

Pour yourself a long tall cool one, keep the phone off the hook, disconnect your doorbell and dig in.

You will not be disappointed.



Rating:
Summary: Shawn loved Paris!!
Review: An amazing show from Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane and the Indian Bros. Incredible musicianship from everybody. Although I am a huge Shakti fan, I love these guys as well. I have much more respect musically for the singer now as well. Shawn Lane has a nice solo on Savitri before and during the song, but on the song leal souvenir is when Hellborg and the Indian Bros. hit that moment of magic when they are rippin it. It is incredible!!! There is also a jaw dropping solo by Shawn Lane before the song surbahar,( you can even see 3 guys in the audience watching the solo in this inferior stunned belief). Every solo by Mr. Lane is amazing. Jonas holds it all together as he usually does. It was also great to see him enjoying the music and being in that context of music. Most people don't realize it but if you check out Jonas Hellborg's discography and listen to it, he too has changed the role of the bass guitar. Aga of the Ladies is an amazing composition by Hellborg that is on this concert as well. Paris is a place Mr. Lane always loved, and I am glad to get this DVD where he played. Peace be upon him.

Rating:
Summary: Hellborg's first DVD is a must own.
Review: If you are a musician (who else reads Hellborg reviews), then this DVD is a must own. The best plectrum guitar player ever, especially in a jazz/rock/Indian style music setting (Shawn Lane) plays solos you have to see to believe (hearing isn't enough on some of these). But he is not the end of this. I only found Shawn's music because of my love for Hellborg's style of composition, which is amazing. No one has ever used the Locrian mode to an asthetically apealling end until he came along. And his bass lines make me jealous. This DVD gives you an excellent Hellborg bass solo where he trades lines with the two percussionists (end of set one), and many other great bass solo's. Hellborg has been the next Jaco for many years now and carries the bass torch even higher (really, between him and Edgar Meyer the bass as become an important compositional tool). This DVD also has Lane's most adventurous solo to date at the beggining of set two. His work with the sampler is quite insightfull and may just inspire guitar players to go pick one up and see what the possibilities are.

And for those people out there who are sick of the endless percussion vocal solo's on Hellborgs last two studio releases check them out on here. It is the best vocal work I have ever heard from an Indian Percussionist. They trade lines and have fake conversations, really playing the crowd and obviously having a ball doing it. It is musical and funny. A great disc that I can't reccomend highly enough. If you are not a genreist then this is the disc for you.

It is also a pleasure to hear Umamahesh sing. He has some great vocal solo's on here that demonstrate his ability to be a funtional part of an imporvisational band, and a singer who is an actual musician, not just a songwriter of lyric deliverer. Hellborg never ceases to amaze and if you liked Icon, or Godd People in Times of Evil then this is definitely worth owning. Not quite as good as Icon musically speaking but what a visceral pleasure it is to see these virutosos perform. Sheer willpower.

Now if only they would come and play in Vancouver, even without Shanw Lane (R.I.P. Sep/26/03).

Rating:
Summary: A Heavenly, celestial, evening of virtuosity.
Review: Read the reviews above, they pretty much say it all. All I can add is that this was my first exposure to the Vinayakrams. I was a HUGE Hellborg, and especially Shawn Lane fan but had not been exposed to the Carnatic side of their work. As the first review states, if you are new to this form of music then this is not an easy first listen. But that being said, once I really invested some time I was blown away in a way that is hard to describe. These five guys are "speaking" to one another in a musical language that effortlessly blends eastern and western forms. The interplay is magical and the improvisation never strays too far from the central themes. The smiles on the players faces and the fact that you can see them blowing one another away at times is worth the price of this DVD alone.

And being another believer that Shawn Lane may well be the greatest electric guitarist to ever walk the earth, I implore every musician to buy this DVD and really watch and listen to what this amazing man was able to do. The virtuosity, musicality, inventiveness, tones, and use of effects, are just a beauty to behold as well as completely awe inspiring.

Rest in Peace Shawn. You are so dearly missed by so many!

Rating:
Summary: Buy now
Review: This DVD is great. The singer looks creepy, but the music is awe inspiring.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing play by some of the best.
Review: Wow, this dvd is one that I like to share with people even though this might not be their cup of tea. Most all were amazed and glued to the T.V., So what I'am saying is even if you don't like or know East meets West music,this dvd will still smoke you. The musicianship is top shelf, Lane and Hellborg tear it up on bass and guitar)and the percussion is unbelievable. One brother plays a clay pot and the other play a relative of the tamborine. I will never look at a clay pot the same. It seems that what your hearing is impossible, rapid fire percussion at the most extreme. My favorite dvd of the year.