It was 11 years between CDs under my own aegis (Six Peaces) and this one. I beleive it was worth the wait.
My main project during those years was the ongoing longterm collaboration with percussionist Jefferson Voorhees, as Sama’ Duo. From its origins as a transcultural improvisational duo with sarod (played that too for a number of years) and/or oud plus hand percussion to a more robust electric configuration, we gigged well, from cafes to theaters to music series, but a release never materialized.
There are two CDs worth of material in the vaults (to be released later this year): the music we did for the independent film Birth Of a Pillow from Kolkata, India; and a later electric CD, completed and ready to roll out – until we met Christine.
Jefferson had met her while they were both on a pickup side gig. He called me later and said “There’s something about how she plays. Do you mind if she sits in on a Duo session, just for fun?”
“Not at all,”I said.
Two days later, she changed our lives with the very first note she played – and Pray For Brain was born. “Everything we’ve ever done together for the past 10 years,” I told him after she left that night, “was merely preparation for her.”
Over the next four years, the three of us developed an accessible but unique mix of influences: surf, rockabilly, prog and classic rock, jazz, heavy funk, Middle Eastern, Indian, it all came together in a cohesive, energetic, and unmistakable signature sound.
Recorded in two batches (August 2012 and May 2013), Trey Gunn was kind enough to put out the release on 7dMedia, and it was well received indeed in prog and jazz circles (see below). It earned the NMMA Best Jazz Release of the Year and myself a finalist for best producer. Christine did a stunningly detailed hand-drawn and inked mandala for the cover.
IMPRESSUM
Recorded August 7-10 2012 and May 15-16 2013 at Third Eye Studios, Tijeras, NM
Recording Engineers: David McRae, Dana Sampson
Mixed September 2013 by David McRae, Third Eye Studios
Cover art: Christine Nelson
Producer: MSD
“…an electro-organic feast, enveloping a 3D outlook, spanning Middle Eastern oud-based rock, Indofunk, jazz fusion and hearty doses of improvisation. Here, exceptionally versatile guitarist Mustafa Stefan Dill integrates thrusting King Crimson chord voicings, understated melodies, shades of Americana, Mid-Eastern modalities and performs on the oud as well. ..In sum, if you’re looking for a solidly produced jazz rock or progressive rock outing that deviates from the tried and true, then Pray For Brain fits the bill in a rather huge way.” Glenn Astarita, AllAboutJazz.com, February 7, 2015
“Pray for Brain is a band unlike any other. This instrumental ensemble pushes the envelope and is refreshingly impossible to categorize. Rock, jazz and funk, along with a range of South Asian and Middle Eastern influences, slip between traces of surf, rockabilly and country in a great mix of cultures that twist and turn at the drop of a hat.
The opening track, “Drop the Needle,” leaves a lasting impression and gives an indication of Pray for Brain’s approach; slightly abstract, improvisational and experimental, yet clear and refined with a groove. Here is a jazz/rock composite that will eliminate any preconceived notion of fusion. … This trio is full of endless possibilities. It’s hard for a group to maintain consistency when they dabble in so many different styles, but Pray for Brain gladly accepts this challenge and succeeds. They tie together a number of influences while keeping the music entirely their own. None of the Above is a diverse and unpredictable journey worth experiencing.” Alex Brown, Roots World, May 5, 2014
“Funk, world, jazz, fusion and rock are just some of the genres touched upon making for an interesting and dynamic listening experience. These eleven tracks boast plenty of chops, improvisation and a jam-like quality that will keep you guessing where the music will go next. Great bass work…Jam band, jazz fusion and psychedelic overtones abound as Dill’s guitar work absolutely shines. … Fans of fusion music will certainly find something to enjoy with None of the Above. Folks, this one’s a keeper.” Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility, Sept 9 2014
“The band gets a sound that plays on Mideastern modes often, yet does it in a sometimes heavy, always smartly rocking way. These are originals that have metal, surf and avant fusion overtones, depending. ….Mustafa Stefan has his very own way with the guitar (and oud!) that is technically adept but very lucid and original in a Mideastern minor mode that has rock heft when he choses to crank a bit–and a bit of the hang-ten surf sound down pat when he brings that on. …The tunes, the band as a totality and Mustafa’s signature guitar style all give you something different, something extra. I must say that this one was a big, pleasing surprise. I don’t know how far afield they gig, but if they happen to be in your town, check them out! The album, too! It’s not the obvious and it is very good.”Gapplegate, Sept 19, 2014
“Each member of this group comes across as having a very distinct voice and the combining of the band does some surprising things….But don’t confuse their technical prowess for soulless Satriani-like noodling because that’s far from the case. Every song here has heart and rhythm. They’re righteously unique.” ABQ Free Press, August 13, 2014
“Imagine funk if it were played by musicians with a prog/metal sensibility. Some will find that mental image irredeemably gruesome; other will be intrigued. ….[T]here’s a world-music undertone to these deliberate (but not plodding) instrumental numbers. In places the group’s tracks feel like the guitar solo passages on late-period Frank Zappa albums. The aptly-named “Sufisurf” hints at the group’s stylistic mashup of disparate genres. Challenging but worth the effort. ” Musoscribe, July 24, 2014
“Here’s a trio of upright bass, drums and guitar that takes no prisoners. With a musical style that defies description … these three play together going where the musical muse takes them. Bass and drums do what they do best, set the foundation, and create the rhythm while the guitar soars into the stratosphere. Sometimes the guitar slithers in all soft and dreamy while the bass takes the spotlight or at other times the drums…. there are many moments where the music is actually quite subdued and sparse, hypnotically drawing you in. Then there were times I had to check my CD player to see if it was smokin’ because the music was that hot. Fans of intense instrumental fusion will want to check this out for sure.” Jerry Lucky, the Progressive Rock Files, July 17, 2014
“Not only proficient musicians, but performers that love to play together and have the skill to take a tune to a higher level. …This group swings, grooves and improvise in a way that only musicians that have evolved a large vocabulary can…. This is a group that refuses to shoe-horn themselves into a single genre or style. Instead they fuse anything that is within their reach. And on top of that they can improvise within any of it, and talk to each other in ways that has to be experienced.” George De Bruin, Cerebal Rift, July 2, 2014
“…Inspired and creative music, breathing some new life into the sometimes stodgy world of instrumental progressive rock music. Recommended.” Dangerdog Music, 6/4/2014
“A sorta-rockabilly line-up but a world music/jazz/progressive music sound…tunes feature time-signature/dynamic changes like 2004’s Crimson Jazz Trio album, or more precisely, like King Crimson as a guitar/bass/drum trio. …this band has a bright future in a noncommercial sense.” Ricky Flake, Mississippi Sun Herald, 6/5/2014 http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/05/5629449/an-alternative-playlist.html
“The playing on this album is complex, focused, and precise. Nelson’s bass playing is mesmerizing, Voorhees plays with hypnotic ease, and Dill’s guitars will knock you out. … Our favorite cuts include “Drop the Needle,” “Hawk and Mouse,” and “Circus.” Cool heady stuff with balls.” Babysue.com, 6/2/2014
“… It’s definitely challenging music that is nearly impossible to classify. It also manages most often to groove….This is an exceptional instrumental set either way. “ Gary Hill, Music Street Journal, 5/27/2014
“Ah, some contemporary malcontent music that blows to doors off their hinges. Adding a bassist to expand to a trio, this crew mixmasters world/jazz/prog/funk/fusion into a heady brew that’s anything but one shaded sludge. With everyone heading off in different directions and somehow meeting in the middle, if you want to play this for grandpa, make sure he was into ‘Bitches Brew’ Miles or else you’ll give him a heart attack and really turn this into killer stuff. This is the kind of stuff genre busting ears require. Well done. ” MidWest Record, 5/22/2014.
“[Pray for Brain]… scoff at the concepts of time signatures and common structure for 11 genre-defying tracks that both entice and challenge the listener. This album somehow delivers an experience that is all at once disjointed and experimental, yet accessible and catchy. … there is a level of restraint that serves the songs well and drives them forward into heretofore locally unknown areas of jazzy brilliance. If nothing else, None of the Above is an album for music technique aficionados and proves that complicated music is sometimes so cool, you’ve just gotta get behind it. “ Alex DeVore, Santa Fe Reporter, May 7, 2014