Dewa Budjana - Dawai in Paradise (2011) [FLAC]

MoonJune Records is proud and pleased to present the incredible artistry of legendary world-class guitarist, Dewa Budjana. Renowned throughout his native Indonesia, his status as a maestro is well-deserved and immediately apparent.
Dewa's fifth solo album, Dawai In Paradise, explores his vast, diverse array of guitar stylings in a host of fresh, powerful, intriguing musical settings. A showcase of astounding, brilliant music is performed by a host of great musicians -- including Grammy-winning artists drummer Peter Erskine (Weather Report; Steps Ahead) and multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy (Bela Fleck & The Flectones), the renowned Indonesian jazz keyboardist and producer, Indra Lesmana, his Indonesian contemporary, celebrated pianist Ade Irawan, and the late legendary jazz bassist, Dave Carpenter -- with proceedings decorated beautifully by the Bali native's masterful strokes and deft touch.

Ranging from the bold and adventurous to the gracefully elegant, Dewa's playing bounces from the frantic urgency of a Fripp or McLaughlin to the organic intimacy of a Metheny or Towner with equal ease and fluidity. Previously unexplored waters are navigated with an adroit leisure, as his bountiful skills as both a composer and improviser are clearly on display. His international debut is chocked full of surprises, and it's elegance and repose belies the enormity of the album's ambition. This is progressive jazz and world music of the absolute highest order, and a "coming out party" for one of its best-kept secrets.

Dawai In Paradise is a celebration of life through music. Like the paradise of Dewa's native Bali, its beauty is equally compelling and awe-inspiring. It is a fitting -- and long-overdue! -- introduction to progressive music's world stage, for a guitarist whose style and artistry knows no bounds.

This is a soaring, majestic album, and an "instant essential" for all fans of world music, progressive jazz, and prolific, master-class guitar.