NAURORA

"Naurora" was recorded by guitar whiz Dewa Budjana, and a crew of ten other musicians during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Most recordings were done in each musician's home studio and it was mixed and mastered by Rich Breen in Burbank, California. The audio on the CD sounds exceptional and makes listening to this a pleasure. If you enjoyed Dewa's other outings then you will like this as well. The music combines Asian rhythms with jazz, rock, and beyond to create an energetic disc that will make your day. On his previous releases, the drumming stool has been filled by those with skill, soul, and technique beyond the norm, and "Naurora" continues that tradition. Simon Phillips plays drums on three songs and Dave Weckl on two. One thing different about this release is the addition of upright bass on several songs, and the soprano sax that blows a lovely melody on "Sabana Shanti". Love it! It's a shame that not many know about Dewa's skills as a composer and player and maybe this disc will change that. Overall, this is a tremendous modern fusion release that is highly recommended.