Personae

Jonas Hellborg | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bardo Records
• ASIN: B00005YDN7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,227 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #94 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Germany

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Return of Shawn, The Swede and Sipe, March 19, 2002

By 

Jeff Arenson (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Personae (Audio CD)

"Personae" is Hellborg, Lane, and Sipe returning to their electric fusion roots. After going acoustic in "Zenhouse" and dabbling in world music on "Good people in..." the threesome gives us some of what they do best. This is a 2002 release but the songs were recorded in Germany at about the same time as "Time is The Enemy". This disc is absolutely awesome. All of the songs(six of them) are different versions from the other Hellborg/Lane discs. The disc starts off with "Time is the Enemy". This tune is both an extended version of "Stellar Rays" from Michael Shrieve's "Two Doors" cd and an alternate version to the title track from the disc of the same name. Regardless of what Shawn/Jonas decide to call it this is a piece for Shawn to go ballistic in, and he does. This doesn't have quite the same amount of pyrotechnics as the other "Time is the Enemy" but it gives the listener a good idea of what they are in store for. The second tune is entitled "Rag B/B" and is a twenty plus minute improvisation. The main theme is taken from "Temporal Analogues of Paradise". All three musicians let loose on this song. It is nice to hear Sipe given the freedom that he wasn't on "Time is the Enemy". Next is the title track. This is a reworking of "Juvalamu" also from the "Two Doors" cd. "Personae" is another Shawn showcase and he is his usual amazing self. "Heretics" is next and there is a version of this on "Time is the Enemy". This version is better because all three musicians are given ample room to express themselves. Once again it is nice to hear Sipe. "Hell is Other People" is also a reworking of a tune from "Two Doors". The tune was called "Deep Umbra". This tune is one of the greatest examples of combining virtuostic technique with emotional depth. Hellborg and Lane are both awe-inspiring on this one. The closer is a short version of "Rice with the Angels" from the "Abstract Logic" cd. This tune is a showstopper for Shawn. He unveils all of his tricks on this one and the guitar insanity will give him a larger network of fans. If you liked the original version of "Time is the Enemy" then your jaw will drop once again to this. Although "Personae" is really a best of, to the people that have all the Shawn/Jonas electric fusion, it is a live best of and probably the best cd that these guys have released for the following reasons.(1) All of the songs are great and combine improv within a written framework.(2)We get to hear more of Sipe than ever.(3) This is the best that I have ever heard Jonas play(and that is saying a lot)(4) Shawn is his typical unearthly self and this is his best playing other than the "616/G.I.T." video(which was his music). If you are looking for improvisational fusion this is for you. Nobody does it better than these guys and this is the best thing that they have done. JUST GET IT!!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an amazing disc!, September 17, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Personae (Audio CD)

Well...where do I begin. Well, for starts, I will claim this disc a treasure. Thru both persistance and curiousity I have aquired something that is truly inspirational. It has the right blend of attitude, rawness, and that extra special chutzpah that puts it into that special pantheon of other recordings that have had a similar effect on me. The select guitar albums in this pantheon are, Zappa's 'Shut Up N' Play Yer Guitar', Holdsworth's 'The Sixteen Men Of Tain' & Vai's 'The Ultra Zone' & 'Passion & Warfare'. 'Personae' is included with these pivotal and amazing recordings. It honestly does. These select recordings make me really wanna play. I definately can't carry a conversation or do anything else when listening to these and they suck my 'guitar-freak' mind into a unexplainable vortex. I've listened to the album more than a dozen times in a 3 day period. It was pricy but worth every cent. It hit me big time. It's theory may be heavily rooted in jazz improvisation but it totally rocks and rips with grace and beauty. I'm really glad I got this. 2 Big thumbs UP.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even the sky's not the limit (for these guys!), March 20, 2002

By 

Tolga Tümay (Istanbul, Turkey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Personae (Audio CD)

Another masterpiece from one of the greatest trios of all time! They play tunes from Deep Umbra-Michael Shrieve; except Jeff Sipe playing the drums(and he really burns the place to the ground!) The gods kick off with a blistering version of Time is the Enemy (a.k.a Stellar Rays from the Deep Umbra CD), continue with Rag B/B; 24 minute version of Baraji from the Michael Shrieve album. At the 7th minute Shawn heads the runway, than take off!; at 9th min they cool down with Jonas taking the lead, this time Jonas heads the runway around 12th min.And at 16th min Jeff Sipe starts to give a shout, than rolls like thunder!!! Than comes Personae (My fav track from Deep Umbra) and Heretics. 5th tune, Hell is Other People (title track from the Deep Umbra CD) is also awesome! Jonas plays superb, Shawn plays sooo soulful! The album ends with Rice With Angels from Abstract Logic, I can`t find enough word to say about this track, just crank it up and wake your neighbours up! By the way the sound quality of the CD is better than Time is the Enemy which I would recommend as well.

I give powers of 10 million stars to this recording. Simply, buy this album, you won`t be disappointed! Uhh Also catch these incredible musicians on tour...