DEWA BUDJANA

Indonesian guitarist Dewa Budjana and Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier are working on the final details of their joint album, still to be titled, featuring Jimmy Haslip on bass, Asaf Sirkis on drums, Saat Syah on flute and a few guests.

Here's a free download sampler, released by MoonJune to celebrate Dewa's 56th birthday :

DEWA BUDJANA - SURYA NAMASKAR

• dewa budjana: surya namaskar
      (2014, cd, usa, moonjune mjr063)

Indonesian guitar player Dewa Budjana is back with a beautiful album. "Surya Namaskar" offers a great set of melodic jazz/rock/fusion tunes.
The album got recorded in January and October of 2013 and features, besides the impressive Jimmy Johnson, the incredible Vinnie Colaiuta on drums.
What a trio. The perfect line-up.
Adding extra spices to the album, the first track, 'Fifty', features Gary Husband on synth, while track number 5, entitled 'Kalingga', presents Kang Pupung and Kang Iya on respectively tarawangsa (Sundanese violin) and kacapi (Sundanese harp). And there's some electric sitar in there as well. Beautiful !!
Furthermore, track number 6, 'Campuhan Hill', has Michael Landau playing the acoustic guitar solos.

In the liner notes of "Surya Namaskar" (meaning 'Salute To The Sun' and immediately explaining the beautiful cover), Dewa Budjana explains to John Kelman that he changed the sound of his guitar, adding a bit of fuzz and distortion to his tone. This is clearly audible. The result is a more powerful and energectic sound.
One of the most impressive tracks on the album is 'Capistrano Road', a composition that Dewa Budjana wrote after meeting Alan Holdsworth. An impressive tribute.

In all, "Suya Namaskar is an impressive album. Definitely one that you need to check out.
It's Dewa Budjana's third released on Leonardo Pavkovik's excellent MoonJune Records label.
www.moonjune.com

Here's Dewa Budjana, live at the Java Jazz Festival.

DEWA BUDJANA - JOGED KAHYANGAN

• dewa budjana: joged kahyangan
      (2013, cd, usa, moonjune mjr059)

It's obvious that the Moonjune Records has a soft spot for guitar players.
Fortunately, label manager Leonardo Pavlovic has an excellent taste and a keen eye to spot talent from a far distance.
This can be taken litterally, as New York City based Moonjune Records signed Indonesion guitarist Dewa Budjana to the label.
Earlier this year, Moonjune released Dewa Budjana's very impressive "Dawai In Paradise" album. And now there's "Joged Kahyangan".

Again, Dewa Budjana shows why he is considered a top guitar player, combining jazz and rock with his Indonesian background.
"Joged Kahyangan", which translates as "Beautiful Heaven", features Larry Goldings on Hammond organ, Bob Mintzer on sax, Jimmy Johnson on bass and Peter Erskine on drums.

Beautiful compositions, great guitar playing.
Recommended listening.

http://www.moonjune.com