Keller Williams, February 2007
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"I always thought Garaj Mahal would be a really cool thing to jump into, they're predominately instrumental, and all of them are incredible players and I think it would be fun to play with them," says Keller, who's also a longtime fan of bassist Kai Eckhardt. "I was first exposed to Kai through an old live John McLaughlin record, and going to see him perform with Garaj Mahal is just a real treat." |
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Glide Magazine, April 2006
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It’s hard to classify
the stew that is the music of Garaj Mahal. A touring band known
for its electrifying live performances, the four piece outfit returns
with their latest studio effort titled ’”Blueberry Cave.”
There is something here for everyone - a little jazz, a lot of drums,
a small dose of turntable scratching, and some dirty funk. An all-star
band comprised of Fareed Haque on guitar, Kai Eckhardt on bass,
Alan Hertz of drums and Eric Levy on keys, Garaj Mahal are joined
by special guest DJ Fly Agaric laying down some turntable accents.
Between all of them, this band has impressive credentials, having
played with Sting, John McLaughlin, George Brooks, Zakir Hussein,
and Steve Kimock to name a few. |
Charleston City Paper, February 2005
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Virtuosos Garaj Mahal return to the Lowcountry with their blend of odd tempos and unique fusion of spacy jazz, funk, and psychedelic rock. Delving into the ultra-weird (the band actually barked through one of its songs during a set at the Windjammer last summer), these four highly experienced and talented musicians merge their creativity to spawn a conceptual sound that leaves the audience dancing, laughing, and questioning what it just heard. Garaj Mahal's outside-the-box sound is a refreshing break from the jam band noodling ever so common on the scene these days. The band members' command of their respective instruments results in a seamless improvisation that takes the listener on a smooth journey through the entertaining and intellectual set. For jazz aficionados and jam-band lovers alike. - Kristen George |
| Memphis on-line Magazine, February 2005 | Garaj Mahal has been blowing minds for the past five years with their jazz fusion rock n roll. I've been on the band wagon (no pun intended) for the past four years and have traveled to eight states to witness about twenty shows by this power quartet. While living in Boulder in 2001, I saw numerous advertisements for Garaj Mahal, but didn't pay much attention because I thought they were a punk band. Upon more careful inspection of the posters I realized that one of my favorite drummers was in the band. Alan Hertz was the H in Steve Kimock's KVHW. Alan had more beats than Steve had guitar licks. Seeing Alan in the line up was enough to spark my interest. I walked in the show that night not knowing any of the other players, but left knowing that I would be seeing a lot more of those guys. Later I learned Fareed Haque teaches jazz and classical guitar at Northern Illinois University; Eric Levy, on keys, was one of his students. Kai Eckhardt, who graduated from with honors from Berkley College of Music, is definitely a respected bass player. - Michael Saba |
| Hal Horowitz , All Music Guide, Dec 2003 | ...a showcase for the jaw-dropping talents of the four bandmembers, Mondo Garaj provides a snapshot of how these four gifted individuals -- each of whom could be a band leader in his own right -- combine into a fine-tuned unit. |
| Garaj Mahal Mondo Garaj Review in Downbeat Magazine, April 19, 2004 ( 3 ½ stars) | This perfectly good American jam band with jazz smarts takes things to the next exciting level when looking to the land south of the Himalayas about half the time on their first studio album. Fareed Haque, of Pakistani blood roots, lets loose with his considerable imagination as guitarist and composer - "Beware My Ethnic Heart" rekindles the Mahavishnu inner mounting flame and three more of his songs reach the ears in a terrific surge of well-played sitar guitar, bass (Kai Eckhardt), drums (Alan Hertz) and keyboards (Eric Levy). The band is worthy of the touching of the guru's feet. |
| Ken Egbert, Jazznow magazine, Feb 2004 | Garaj Mahal have a toe in the 'jam' pool (largely evident in Alan Hertz' 4-on-the-floor drumming, the Medeski, Martin & Wood-via Jimmy Smith organ parts, and the occasional drone-based piece) but these guys can all play their butts off, they have an excellent grasp of songwriting dynamics, and they also know when to stop soloing...A fine long-player overall, lots of surprises... |
| Michael Deeds, The Washington Post, April 16, 2003 | ...the freewheeling fusion of jazz-rock explosion Garaj Mahal.... soulful drummer Alan Hertz and funky, street-smart keyboardist Eric Levy....bespectacled virtuoso Fareed Haque, and worldly bass extraordinaire Kai Eckhardt [is a] gorgeous, exploratory, mind-frying, bass-flogging booty shaker.... |
| Mike Matray, Downbeat Magazine, July 2002 | ... Garaj Mahal is a loose, rocking beast of a band... Labels and preconceived constrictions don't matter because "now its just music". |