Garaj Mahal & Fareed Haque
Discovery
Fareed Haque (Sting, Joe Zawinul) was one of the earliest standard bearers for the Moog Guitar, and on this disc he puts the instrument through its many paces in the company of bassist Kai Eckhardt, drummer Sean Rickman, and keyboardist Eric Levy, who here plays electric piano and various Moog synthesizers. In a fascinating twist, much of the music was arranged—actually more like assembled—by Levy in Ableton Live from audio clips in four keys at four tempos provided by the other members of the group. The music ranges from groove-driven funk to gentler and more atmospheric pieces (including an arrangement of the “Largo” from Vivaldi’s Concerto in D Major) to hard-rocking fusion—all with the Moog Guitar front and center. Not only does Haque fully utilize the instrument’s capabilities—including all three Sustain/Mute Modes, the various onboard Filter and Harmonics settings, the Controller Pedal (sometimes enhanced by the Moog Multi-Pedal), the “regular” guitar tones, and the whammy bar—he also provides extensive liner notes explaining exactly what you are hearing on every track. Whether you are a Garaj Mahal fan or just curious about the Moog Guitar, give this enlightening disc a spin. And don’t forget to watch the 3:15 bonus video: Fareed Haque & The Moog Guitar.