INCREDIBLE GOOD FORTUNE

When I'm in touch with Robbi here and there, hey, it's always a pleasure to notice what a positive and open-minded attitude he's going to express. 'Incredible Good Fortune' must be the key term for that - being at peace with the world and yourself, so to say - at least temporarily without any reservations. And this obviously includes having much fun when playing at Shakti Festival with Amritakripa's band for example, or recording jam sessions together with his friends down there right in the Mojave Desert. Hereby 3RD EAR EXPERIENCE is more of a project than a band. What means the line up is always in progress, more or less.

As a consequence the musical output essentially depends from the situation, the atmosphere, the mood .. and of course which musicians are available (or not) currently, simple as that. That's the reason why bassist Dug Pinnick is missing on this production and latin american rooted Jorge Bassman (who else, eh???) joined the task force. Well, they did it again, the third album from that extraordinary crew in the meanwhile. I like the colourful art work. But first of all this is a clever mixture of pre-arrangement and improvisation, I would say, you can listen to over and over again without being bored. The full range between hell and heaven - tightly packed with a running time of nearly 80 minutes.

Besides the glowing guitar input all over, this is featuring a powerful as well as tribal rhythm section, well placed synthesizer add-ons, Alan Swanson's virtuoso organ, spaced out saxophone by John Whoolilurie aso aso ... Tools opens this fortunate trip with melancholic guitar, a song rich in variety while enclosing floating as well as heavy rocking parts, even put with headbanging qualities. On Parsley Amritakripa offers some intriguing Indian chanting, though on the following White Bee changing to a transcendental or maybe even alienated expression when speaking in cosmic terms. Fantastic guitar presence here towards the end of the song!

Space Rock at its best, powerful and expressive more than ever, garnished with some ethno feel and several traces of Robbi's former band TRIBE AFTER TRIBE. With 'Incredible Good Fortune' they have succeeded in landing a new coup. Go and see for yourself - experience coupled with inspiration is an invincible amalgam. First contact? If not already happened, now at the latest it's time to get in touch with this crew - or freely adapted from Steven Spielberg - time for the Fortunate Encounters of the 3rd Ear Experience - 4.5 stars.