| Jazz |
Dharma Down is a band from New England that oscillates between jazz and world music, with their highly refined and extremely enjoyable vision of Arab music presented here on this album *Owl Dream*. It is interesting, by the way, to see how these distant musical inspirations speak to musicians, depending on whether they are from North America or Europe. European musicians generally have a more raw vision of this kind of music, perhaps because they are closer to Arab countries, while American musicians tend to have a more romantic view in their compositions. The ensemble consists of some of the best musicians from New England, united by their love of modern jazz and Middle Eastern music: Mike Effenberger (piano), Duncan Hardy (alto saxophone and qanun), Scott Kiefner (double bass), and John Mettam (percussion).
In terms of jazz, even though their influences are quickly felt, one can say that Dharma Down has already imposed its style. Everything seems perfectly in sync, and the chemistry between the group’s musicians is evident in their performances. Even more so, they manage to give the impression of a “live” performance, despite this being a studio album. In March 2024, their website stated: “We have gotten our website up and running as we put the finishing touches on our tracks for the upcoming release of *Owl Dreams*: 10 original tracks plus a modern reinvention of a 1000-year-old classical Arabic song.” Although this band is new, the press already seems impressed by their performance: “Saxophonist Duncan Hardy, Pianist Mike Effenberger, Drummer John Mettam, and Bassist Scott Kiefner, aka the collective quartet Dharma Down, as in ‘Gittin’ Down,’ aren’t playing around. These are four very serious cats whose shared musical interests and instincts cover the sonic waterfront; from Raga to Prog Rock, from Post-Post-Bop to a healthy helping of the Blues. There’s no fluff in this stuff. It’s a delight to the discerning listener’s ears from beginning to end.” –Paul Lichter, Curator of the Portland Conservatory of Music’s *Dimensions in Jazz* series”
And rightly so, because the more you progress through this album, the more you listen to it, the more you realize that you are facing a fusion jazz band to be reckoned with. It’s impossible for me not to see in their artistic intentions a connection with the Joe Zawinul Syndicate. Indeed, their exploration of themes and their way of handling rhythms do not seem accidental to me. Regardless, you also find a bit of the spirit of Spyro Gyra, and if Dharma Down were the successors to these illustrious predecessors, I wouldn’t be surprised at all. You quickly forget the world music influences of this album; above all, they are inventive musicians in search of sounds that form their deep identity—an identity that demands a broad culture from each musician, with different cultures for each member of the group, who find in this musical concept a way to harmonize their collective knowledge.
Once again, don’t judge this album by its cover, which doesn’t really reflect the concept, even though the design is nice. With Dharma Down, you need to keep an open mind, let yourself be carried away into their beautiful universe, listen to the smallest details, and admire the work of each artist in this truly prodigious group. Every track on this album is a delightful surprise. Just when you think you’ve captured their world, the next track makes you smile like children in front of an ice cream cone on a summer day… More than enough to place this band and this project in the “essential” category.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, August 22nd 2024
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