Kalabalik (Raoul Bjorkenheim / Anders Nilsson / Gerald Cleaver)

Kalabalik: Live At Downtown Music Gallery January 2, 2011

Label: DMG ARC Country: USA

"In late December of 2010, [DMG's] great friend and world-trotting guitar demon Raoul Bjorkenheim was in town for a couple of weeks. Just after Christmas, Raoul and fellow Scandinavian guitar great Anders Nilsson played a duo gig up in Harlem attended by Manny, myself and a few other informed fans. It turned out pretty well with the spirit of Jimi Hendrix - and early John McLaughlin - floating behind both guitarists.

A light went on in my head! I asked Raoul and Anders to do an in-store concert on the first Sunday of 2011 at DMG with possibly additional players. They decided to ask the great percussionist Gerald Cleaver to complete this trio. The set was well attended, turned out better than any of us could have imagined, and cemented their relationship a working trio.

Professionally recorded by Robert O'Hare, mixed by Robert Musso, and mastered by Mike King - we couldn't ask for better collaborators on the post-production end! The music is spectacular! Although it was completely improvised, it sounds as if there was some sort of script involved. Raoul, Anders and Gerald spin tales of wonder. It is an exciting, intense and demanding journey with incredible interplay, humorous detours and like the best of any progressive session, it completely works! "-DMG/Arc

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