DJABE & STEVE HACKETT: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

This album features the live continuation of what once was a great jam session, involving both great artists, the hungarian jazz-fusion band and the English prog-rock iconic guitarist, an encounter derived from mutual interest and admiration. Enjoyable as it was the result in its own terms, that venture wasn't in the same vein of Steve's general work, but rather followed the lines of Djabe's sound, adding his re-invention as a brand new fusion guitarist. Long relaxed fusion compositions from the band, fantastic mesmerizing trumpet solos, and Mr. Hackett's new persona crossing a new boundary. Precisely that's the tone prevailing in the first four tracks of the present recording. In the fifth and sixth tracks, Steve's voice and a more recognizable guitar tone emerge, conducting the proceedings towards a more familiar territory, not very dissimilar of Hackett's solo stuff, but enriched with the jazzy sounds of the band. The blend of trumpet and voice sounds particularly fortunate to my ears.

And yes, they pay a (re) visit to Genesis back catalogue too. A fusion-like Genesis of sorts, which certainly cannot take the place of the original, but I don't dislike either. If you can accept an instrumental-only take on Firth of Fifth, then pass and enjoy the show.