Naurora is the seventh album on MoonJune Records for Indonesian guitar virtuoso Dewa Budjana, as he once again blends his native influences with a wide assortment of jazz and fusion elements. Containing five new tracks, Naurora also sees the guitarist working with a stellar cast that includes keyboard legend Gary Husband, drummers Dave Weckl & Simon Phillips, bassists Ben Williams, Jimmy Johnson, and Carlitos Del Puerto, pianist Joey Alexander, sax player Paul McCandless, and vocalist Imee Ool.
The opening 11-minute title track is a beast of a fusion ripper, chock full of savage guitar soloing and Phillips monster drumming. For "Swarma Jingga" those lovely and intoxicating Indonesian elements come into play, Budjana's acrobatic guitar saddled up next to hotshot guitarist Mateus Asato for a wonderful pairing, with Weckl thundering away underneath while soaring melodies adorn the atmospheric and quite jazzy "Kmalasana". The mysterious "Sabana Shanti" follows, complete with velvety guitars and haunting sax melodies, and the album closes with the ominous "Blue Mansion", Husband's chilling synth & piano lines setting the stage for Dewa's menacing guitar work.
It's no wonder some of the best musicians in the world of jazz-fusion want to work with Dewa Budjana- this guy has some serious chops, and he is also an excellent songwriter to boot. Naurora is a joy from start to finish, an easy recommendation for any fusion fan.
Track Listing
1) Naurora (11:03)
2) Swarna Jingga (6:51)
3) Kmalasana (7:05)
4) Sabana Shanti
5) Blue Mansion (7:48)
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