Making Music [Import]

Zakir Hussain | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Ecm Import
• ASIN: B0000260YC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,679 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful...., October 16, 2001

By 

Brandon S. (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Music (Audio CD)

There's little I can really say about this CD....as much as it might seem a cliche, the music speaks for itself. John McLaughlin plays some gorgeous acoustic guitar throughout the disc, and Hariprasad Charasia graces the speakers with the most incredible, enchanting sounds (although it sounds much like a flute, it's actually a bansuri {sp?), an Indian bamboo flute). The only problem that I have with this recording has been adressed by previous reviewers, which is, the saxophone of Jan Garbarek in the mix. His playing seems much stronger and intense than the rest of the music, and it is quite brash at some points, such as the sax solo in "Zakir"...there are many times where I had to turn down the volume considerably, which is sort of a hassle, especially when your'e just trying to sit and relax, enjoying the music. Garbarek is a fine enough sax player, but....it just doesn't really mix well with the other instruments. Otherwise, a fantastic disc. "Water Girl" is amazing, by the way. P.S. there is a version of the tune "Zakir" on the "Remember Shakti" double-disc set that I prefer to the one on this CD, it is much more intimate, and without the harsh (on the ears) saxophone solo!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been 5 stars plus!, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Music (Audio CD)

Being an ardent fan of Zakir Hussain and lately of John Mclaughlin it was a heaven sent surprise when I found this CD on the shelf. Believe me when I got home and put it on the sensation was literally of floating on air with no contact with ground realities. However it was one of the rudest shocks I have ever received when Jan Gabarek came on the scene. The problem was not his playing but it would seem that the persons doing the mixing have a hearing problem in the mid range. The volume therefore of the system has to be lowered to maintain sanity and the excellent tonalities of the other instruments dissapear as if they were non-existent. If ECM had any consideration for brand loyalty or customer satisfaction as well as any responsibility towards the class instrumentalists on the disk, they would remix the disk and have each one of them replaced. Also it would be nice if the relevant instrumenatalists themselves could sample the commercial CD's and send in their comments.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not always profound, but great fun, July 12, 2005

By 

Marius Cipolla - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Music (Audio CD)

I love this album, though other reviewers are perfectly right to point out the occasional shallow spots and sometimes over-prominent sax (why do so many of Garbarek's collaborations have this fault?). I don't think these musicians were always aiming for profundity in these sessions. The title I think is meant to be taken literally: these guys were simply making music. But it is great fun all the way through.

All the performers are highly prolific, amazingly versatile and deeply experienced collaborators. Getting them together was perhaps more of a good marketing idea than the result of any great meeting of musical minds, but the result is consistently more stimulating than any Kenny G. recording that I know.

There are also moments of great beauty, especially those produced by Hariprasad Chaurasia and Jan Garbarek. Garbarek's sax often takes up not only Indian melodies, but also mimics the intonations of Indian instruments.

Musical pleasure for almost every ear, made by great musicians having fun together.