12.17.2008
Fusion force
Legendary Brit guitarist Steve Hackett makes a special appearance at the Penang Island Jazz Festival this weekend.
Fans of jazz fusion will doubtless be thrilled to know that the acclaimed Hungarian combo Djabe will be paying a brief visit to our shores. Formed in 1996 by guitarist Egerhazi Atilla, the quintet contains some of the most respected musicians in the under-appreciated Eastern European jazz scene, and have played at numerous international jazz festivals.
One of the group’s biggest fans is the legendary guitarist Steve Hackett, best known for his time in pioneering progressive rock group Genesis. Hackett, who first guested alongside Djabe in 2004 and has also played on their album Sheafs are Dancing, will be travelling to Malaysia with Djabe and promises fans an exciting show.
Djabe and Hackett will take to the stage at the Bayview Beach Resort in Batu Ferringhi for the Penang Island Jazz Festival tomorrow.
Legendary Brit guitarist Steve Hackett (right) with Hungarian jazz rock outfit Djabe to play the Penang Island Jazz Festival 2008.
Hackett who has himself led a wide and varied career, first emerged as the bespectacled, bearded guitarist who delivered fine classical lines and blistering electric leads from the same seated position as Genesis (then fronted by Peter Gabriel) stormed its way into the hearts of serious rock fans with a string of classic albums from 1971’s Nursery Cryme to 1974’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. However it was his departure in the late 1970s that allowed the group to become a pop-rock trio par excellence.
Hackett himself embarked on an idiosyncratic solo career, recording instrumental rock, straight forward classical recordings, and collaborating with anyone from Randy Crawford and Ritchie Havens to fellow prog-rock icon Steve Howe in the mid 1980s rock outfit GTR.
In an email-interview, Hackett, 58, spoke about his past journey as well as the upcoming collaboration with Djabe.
“I’m proud of all of my albums in different ways. Comparisons between electric and acoustic albums are difficult because the energies are so different. I love rock and I love classical. I loved working with Ritchie Havens, Randy Crawford and Steve Howe because they’re all brilliant in their individual way.”
So what is it about Djabe that made Hackett want to play with them in the first place?
“They have a flexible line up which makes it open for gifted unusual players often from a jazz or gypsy background to join them at a moment’s notice because the stress is upon improvisation and less on thematic content. They are both dynamic and diverse. I heartily recommened their forthcoming live album, which is a tribute to the late great Sipos Andras, their original percussionist and one of their original founding members.”
There is a danger of course that jazz fusion bands (and their live shows) can tend to sound too similar to one another, but Hackett is very confident that Djabe will have an edge that can excite fans.
“It depends on the band and their line-up of instruments. Sometimes Djabe work with cimbalom, Moroccan drums or gypsy violin, amongst other unusual instruments, including Indonesian anklung. That makes for a very interesting mix!”
Indeed it certainly must have taken something special to get Hackett, who has been a touring musician for the better part of four decades to come along to perform in odd corners of the world
“It’s really great to meet people around the world and to exchange musical ideas. It’s individuals in each country that count.”
Considering the vast range of projects Hackett as embarked on (standout albums from his long career include 1975’s Voyage of the Aco , 1980’s Defector, 1982’s Highly Strung, 1997’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and 2005’s Metamorpheous) his next move is anyone’s guess. He is still excited by a wide range of styles, saying “I enjoy all kinds of music but my next project is likely to be a rock one.”
Despite his quiet image, Hackett has steadfastly pursued his muse and is also known for taking the lead when certain causes catch his attention. In the late 1980s, he organised Rock Against Repatriation after learning about the plight of the Vietnamese boat people. He still maintains an active interest in the world around him and is concerned about some of the global trends that have persisted in his life time.
Still, when asked what kind of man he was offstage and if he had a secret passion for football, Hackett replied: “I like reading all kinds of books and I enjoy long walks because it makes so much more of the day. It’s my father who likes football!”
To this day Hackett (and his former cohorts in Genesis) are hounded with reunion rumours, although opinions are divided as to whether it should be the five-man progressive outfit or the three-man pop group (sans Hackett) that show be reforming. As with most things, Hackett maintains an open mind about hooking up with his former band members. “I see them occasionally and we’re all still good friends. I’m up for a reunion if it ever happens, but meanwhile it’s great to work with new people.”
Like Djabe, no doubt!
