01	Technology And Industry						05:18
	02	Familiar Winds						12:15
	03	Forbidden By Rule						08:02
	04	Reflections From The Firepool						09:32
	05	Province #19:The Visage Of War						08:15
	06	Shaman's Descent						07:35
	07	Jammin' @ Mike & J's						14:15
	08	Run Cerberus Run						09:24

LIVE AT ORION (1999)


1. Technology And Industry (5.16)
2. Familar Winds (12.13)
3. Forbidden By Rule (8.00)
4. Reflections From The Firepool (9.30)
5. Province 19: The Visage Of War (8.13)
6. Shaman's Descent (7.33)
7. Jammin' At Mike & J's (14.13)
8. Ren Cerberus Run (9.24)


Gayle Ellett - Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Effects
Mike Henderson - Electric Guitar
Chuck Oken, Jr. - Drums, Keyboards, Effects
Henry J. Osborne - Electric Bass, Bottled Bass

Mixed by Mike Potter and Gayle Ellett

(c) 1999 Cuneiform Records



Djam Karet
Live at Orion
Cuneiform (rune 119)
USA 1999

Gayle Ellett, electric guitar, keyboards, effects;
Mike Henderson, electric guitar;
Chuck Oken Jr., drums, keyboards, effects;
Henry J. Osborne, electric bass, bottled bass

Tracklist:
1. Technology and Industry - 5:16
2. Familiar Winds - 12:12
3. Forbidden by Rule - 8:00
4. Reflections from the Firepool - 9:30
5. Province 19: The Visage of War - 8:13
6. Shaman's Descent - 7:33
7. Jammin' at Mike & J's - 14:13
8. Run Cerberus Run - 9:24

total time 74:22

bob

This band has all the elements that I normally like in progressive rock: the music is instrumental and fairly intense, with somewhat minimalist soundscapes overlaid with guitar leads, sometimes heavy sometimes delicate. I even attended the second of the two shows recorded for this disc (that show was my introduction to Djam Karet's music). Both live and on CD the band shows a lot of talent and an obvious love of making music. So I should really like this CD. But for some reason I just don't. It doesn't really come together for me. The tracks begin, flow on for what seems like a long, long time (usually around eight or nine minutes), then end. There doesn't seem to be any development done - the tracks don't build up into anything, they just drift along until they stop.I don't want to give the impression that this is a bad album, but it just doesn't grab me at all. However, the music sounds very similar to the Reflections from the Firepool CD that I picked up at the show, so if you like the band's previous work then this one will give you more of the same.


brandon

This is about as good as Djam Karet material can get, I think. Their music is a pretty unique cross between Crimsonish heavy guitar playing and more Floydian atmospheric keyboard work. That's not a particularly useful comparison as DK sounds like neither of the aforementioned bands, but it's as good a description as I can come up with. In any case, this live disc absolutely smokes, and it seems to be more of a band effort than some of the guitar solo vehicles that their earlier songs seem to have been. There's still a shitload of soloing, but not in the usual self-indulgent, look-how-fast-I-can-play style: these solos fit into the music well and actually sound very good. There's a touch of the band's trademark ambience balancing out the balls-to-the-wall rocking, and I like that. This might be a good introduction to Djam Karet's music, which to me is the standard for instrumental rock music: quite accessible and hard-rocking while still maintaining some pacing and complexity. Even the 14+ minute improvised jam has plenty of great moments. Some acoustics might lend the music a tad more soul, though, which is one thing Djam Karet might be accused of lacking.





Live at Orion
Date of Release May 15, 1999

After 15 years of existence, the instrumental prog band Djam Karet delivered its first official live album. Live at Orion is from a show recorded at Baltimore's Orion Sound Studios on September 25 and 26, 1998, as Djam Karet was giving its first performances on the American East Coast. The album starts with "Technology and Industry," a rocking number that was originally on The Ritual Continues. Two more tracks, "Familiar Winds" and "Shaman's Descent," both more trippy, are also lifted from that record. It seems the band chose to focus on older material for this live CD, since The Devouring, their previous studio release, is only represented by "Forbidden By Rule." But there is "Run Cerberus Run" and "Reflections From the Firepool" from the record named after the latter tune, as well as "Province 19" (probably Djam Karet's heaviest tune) from Burning the Hard City. The recording is completed by an atmospheric 14-minute jam. The sound quality is excellent and, as in every show recorded at Orion, you feel as if you are there. The playing is strong and uplifting, although "Run Cerberus Run" lacks some punch. The guys must have been getting tired. Djam Karet's distinctive sound signature is the band's dual guitars, underpinned by bass and drums. An occasional synth brings some atmospheric touches. Tunes usually develop from a riff repeated as the two guitarists trade solos. Live at Orion is a good way to get acquainted with Djam Karet and a nice addition to the fan's collection. - Franзois Couture






Djam Karet - Live at Orion

Released: 1999
Label: Cuneiform Records
Cat. No.: Rune 119
Total Time: 74:22


Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, August 1999
Because this is Djam Karet, I went into this knowing...at least expecting... to like what I heard. Djam Karet are as exciting and as compelling live as they are in the studio, perhaps even more so. In the live medium, you have even more room to experiment, to jam.

This isn't a live disk in the usual sense, in that there isn't between song banter, and only occassionally sounds of an appreciative audience. So, while you don't get a true sense of a live performance, it does demonstrate that Djam Karet have got the goods live. The tracks on this set, captured at Baltimore's Orion Studios, are from just a sampling of Djam Karet's albums - The Ritual Continues (3 tracks), Reflections From The Firepool (1), Burning The Hard City (1), and The Devouring (1). Also, what I take to be a new track, the improvised "Jamin' and Mike and J's" (refering to Mike Potter and J Valenzuela of Orion Studios) in "the style of: Still No Comercial Potential

Ever since I heard Reflections I have loved Djam Karet's brand of progressive rock, and this live performance doesn't change that, except to make me even more impressed with the four musicians. Djam Karet are Gayle Ellett (guitar, keys, and effects), Mike Henderson (guitar), Chuck Oken, Jr. (drums, keys, and effects), and Henry J Osborne (basses).

Each track is a sonic journey not to be listened to casually - this is headphones music. While each track is excellent, the live versions brings an extra...something...a je ne scais quoi. There is no mistaking them for studio versions, of course. Something I noticed on "Forbidden By Rule" (from The Devouring). There pace differs in some sections, the overall sound to the intstruments is different...maybe a little jammin' thrown in for good measure...all of which tells you that live isn't by rote. And if the tracks sounded exactly like the studio versions, note for note, what would be the point?

Actually, hearing them live gives the songs more teeth, more of an edge. I am far from disappointed, and give this a most enthusiastic thumbs up. If you haven't experienced Djam Karet before, this is an excellent place to start as it touches on their whole career and will give a clear idea of what they're about.

More about Live at Orion:

Track Listing: Technology and Industry (5:16) / Familiar Winds (12:13) / Forbidden By Rule (8:00) / Reflections From The Firepool (9:30) / Province 19: The Visage of War (8:13) / Shaman's Descent (7:33) / Jamin' At Mike & J's (14:13) / Run Cerberus Run (9:24)

Musicians:
Gayle Ellett - guitar, keyboards, and effects
Mike Henderson - guitar
Chuck Oken, Jr. - drums, keyboards, and effects
Henry J Osborne - basses







Djam Karet - Live at Orion



1. Technology and Industry
2. Familiar Winds
3. Forbidden by Rule
4. Reflections from the Fire pool
5. Province 19: The Visage of War
6. Shaman's Descent
7. Jammin' At Mike & J's
8. Run Cerberus Run

Home Page http://www.djamkaret.com/
Cuneiform Records Page : http://cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/djam.html

Now this is very special. American band Djam Karet have been kicking around the progressive scene for over 10 years now and remain one of the genre's more enigmatic and unsung outfits, despite the challenge and sheer quality of their music. Describing their sound is not easy as a love of differing musical styles is evident in much of their work. However a parallel can be drawn with King Crimson (somewhere in between the aggression of 'Red' and the rhythmic drive of 'Beat') and also with some of the synth/guitar led hypnotics of mid-late 70s Tangerine Dream. A healthy smattering of Jazz and fusion is also evident throughout. This live addition to the Djam Karet catalogue captures the band at their brilliant best and performing some of their most memorable recent work.

The album opens in impressive fashion with the sledgehammer attack of 'Technology and Industry' from the excellent 'The Ritual Continues' album. Based on an unrelenting assault of angular guitar and shifting bass and drum work this is five minutes of sheer Crimson-stained anger, performed with razor-sharp accuracy.

'Familiar Winds' sees the band displaying a complete juxtaposition to their opening offensive, building from a subtle and delicately intricate intro, into a richly layered guitar-led world of pleasure, backed by a flowing and overtly funky bass-line. The development of the song is superb, gaining pace and intensity through some excellent drum work and infectious soloing. The finale returns to the laid-back feel of the mid-section, before building to a choppy and forbidding conclusion. The strained distorted guitar work is exceptional.

'Forbidden by Rules' (from 'The Devouring') opens with a barrage of clipped stop-start segments before blooming into a smoky blues guitar break that takes the pace right down. The guts of the song provide more angular Crimson-like patterns where the band's improvisational abilities shine through with oodles of colour. Some extraordinary guitar technique creates an almost space-like sonic normally associated with the oscular twist of a moog or such like. The return to the blues break dovetails the mayhem neatly, and strangely with minimal impact on the general cohesion of the piece. A fine bass line leads the song to its end.

'Reflections From the Fire pool' (from the stunning album of the same name) is perhaps my favourite of a truly great bunch here. Building from a hypnotic keyboard-led introduction, the piece is developed by subtle twin guitar work and an understated rhythm section that creates an atmosphere not a million miles away from Tangerine Dream's magnificent 'Ricochet' live opus circa 1975. The piece functions purely as a colour-rich sound montage having little or no recognisable song structure, but the sheer quality of its feel and the use of clever and changing instrumental improvisation raises it to a very special level indeed. Magnificent.

'Province 19:' finds DK opening with a courteous nod of the head to 'Red'-era Crimson with a gritty and full opening riff that bludgeons with stealth. The main body of the track is another dark trip into all manner of rhythmic and textured complexity again pushed forward by, in this case, some fabulous improvised bass work. A return to the opening theme is then steered towards the song's end by a manic and atonal flourish.

The opening of 'Shamans Descent' (from 'The Devouring') sees the band reverting to the quieter side of life with a synth- and choir-led passage soothing the brow after the bludgeoning of 'Province 19:' The low guttural analogue work is splendid and acts as a recurring pulse throughout the track. The overlaying of guitars above a consistent and jazzy bass and drum duality gives the listener an almost 'smoke filled jazz club' feel, but with a space-like genre twist one would not normally associate. At times the bass-line veers towards the more pastoral work of the 'Ozric Tentacles' but is delivered with much greater panache.

The 14 minutes of 'Jammin at Mike and J's ' is another exquisitely laid-back affair and as the title suggests fully jammed. Dreamy, hazy atmospheres blending with tasteful and moving melody lines via guitar, bass and keys transport the listener into a hypnotic and relaxed musical world. The development of the themes is magical with improvisation keeping things interesting but without jarring the piece out of its spliff-laden context. The achievement of evoking such musical variation within what is a fairly well defined chord constraint is great indeed.

The final track, 'Run Cerberus Run', opens with some flashing and catchy guitar / organ work, strangely reminiscent of, but much more organic than, some of the better prog metal around. Such comparisons, however slim, are dispelled by more angular Crimson/Jazz flavoured fusion and bass-work that wouldn't have sat uncomfortably with Faith No More. Some truly rasping guitar soloing is then presented against complex and dominant drum work. More great bass meanders in the background like an insolent metronome, keeping the whole thing cooking with multifarious intent.

This live performance by Djam Karet comes highly recommended. If you like your music to bruise, sooth and challenge look no further:

Exceptional.

Gareth Long
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www.bathtub-of-adventures.com







Djam Karet - Live at Orion

Member: ffroyd

This is just awesome! No even better! If you haven't heard of these guys yet you will. Instrumental "jamming" somewhat in the same way as Ozric Tentacles, but whereas the Ozrics use a more reggae/ethnic approach, this is much more straightforward heavy rock/prog.

Getting sounds similar to KC, National Health, Zappa and Kansas (especially Kerry). They have just slid comfortably into their tenth album and nobody has heard of them. Just try to pronounce the name. I'll go on record as saying that these guys will never sell out. It sounds like the music means that much to them. I really respect that in a band. Most of the songs run around 8 to 10 minutes long and, like Crimso, their songs consist of structured elements and improvisation. And what's worse is these guys are American!