QITARA

Johannes Luley finally realizes his jazz-self while still retaining some of the melodic sensibilities of his progressive rock output with Moth Vellum and Perfect Beings. As usual, Johannes has collected a posse of top notch jazz musicians to help him fulfill his dream of producing a high-quality album of songs that seem to pay tribute to some of the giants of the 1970s Jazz-Rock Fusion movement.

Favorite songs: the brooding, dulcimer-based psychedelia of 4. "Sister Six" (5:33) (9.75/10); the amazing, full-on tribute to the Mahavishnu Orchestra, 11. "Agni Rahasya" (4:49) (9.25/10); the piano and horn PAT METHENY GROUP- like 2. "Upness" (6:27) (9/10); the gorgeous foundational music and more-plaintive solo electric guitar--more Hiram Bullock or Allan Holdsworth in style--of 8. "Faces in Reflection" (3:38) (9/10); the other, bluesier Jeff Beck (and, perhaps, Larry Coryell) tribute, 9. "Hot Sands" (3:53) (8.75/10); the schizophrenic 1970s John McLaughlin-like opener, "Doer" (5:10) (8.75/10); the William Ackerman-like acoustic 3. "Seconds" (1:42) (4.5/5); the Larry Coryell/Steve Howe-like 5. "Solilloquist" (2:58) (4.25/5), and; the dirty Jeff Beck-like guitar sound over the mellow smooth jazz of 6. "Moonlight Mesa" (4:40) (8.5/10).

Weaker, but still interesting and remarkable: the bastardized variation on "Watcher of the Skies," 7. "Red and Orange" (5:25) (8.25/10), and; the more obtuse melodies of the acoustic and electric guitar duet of 10. "White City" (3:23) (8/10)

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion--a beautiful tribute to some of the finest J-R Fusion guitarists of the all-time.