Shez Raja Collective

“Gurutopia”

(Dot Time Records DT9050)

Shez Raja is a British-Asian bass player and composer, originally from the Wirral but now based in London. He began playing classical violin at the age of nine before switching to electric bass at thirteen. After studying at Leeds College of Music Raja became an in demand session musician, his credits covering genres ranging from folk to hip-hop. Among those he has played with include the bands Elephant Talk and Loka plus the hip-hop artist MC Lyte.

Raja formed his Collective in 2007 and subsequently released three studio albums, “Magica” (2007) “Ten Of Wands” (2008) and Mystic Radikal” (2010). The line-up has included some of the best UK based jazz musicians, among them saxophonist Andy Sheppard and trumpeter Claude Deppa.

In 2014 Raja released the album “Soho Live” recorded live over the course of several appearances at London’s famous Pizza Express Jazz Club. Besides Raja’s regular band the album also included contributions from illustrious guests such as saxophonist Gilad Atmon and Soweto Kinch, clarinettist Shabaka Hutchings, trumpeter Jay Phelps. and vocalist Monika Lidke. It’s a highly enjoyable album that is reviewed elsewhere on this site.

With “Gurutopia” Raja has extended his horizons, signing to the New York based Dot Time record label and featuring guest appearances from two giants of contemporary American jazz, trumpeter Randy Brecker and guitarist Mike Stern on his label début.

The core line up includes the London based musicians Pascal Roggen (violin) and Chris Nickolls (drums), both of whom played on the “Soho Live” release with Polish born vocalist Monika Lidke also becoming a full time member of the group. Vasilis Xenopoulos becomes the Collective’s regular saxophonist while keyboard duties are shared between Alex Stanford and Steve Pringle.
 
Given that Raja lists his key influences on electric bass as being Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke and Weather Report era Jaco Pastorius it’s perhaps not too surprising that much of this music is full of strong, funky grooves that pack a mighty rhythmic punch. Raja and Nickolls form an impressive team and give the music great drive but there’s also a pleasing degree of subtlety in Raja’s writing and in the contributions of the guest soloists.

Recorded in London the album gets off to a typically energetic start with “Rabbits” which features guest guitarist Stern at the heart of the arrangement. Incidentally Stern and Brecker don’t actually appear together so I’d guess that their contributions were recorded at separate sessions. Raja himself takes the first solo on electric bass,a virtuoso performance with his tone sounding remarkably guitar like. Stern is the other featured soloist , taking flight as he deploys a range of guitar sounds with influences ranging through jazz, rock and blues. Raja and Nickolls provide the necessary propulsion with some crisp, hard hitting grooves and it’s Pringle who fleshes out the sound on keyboards.

“Maharaja” introduces an Indian element to the percolating funk grooves with violinist Roggen dovetailing effectively with Stanford’s keyboards as Raja and Nickolls drive the tune forward with their customary panache. Roggen’s pyrotechnics with the bow certainly capture the attention and Xenopoulos weighs in with a powerful and incisive sax solo in the tune’s later stages.

“Song For John” lowers the tempo a little and represents a welcome change of mood and pace. Lidke’s wordless vocals double up on the melody line with Xenopoulos’ saxophone before Roggen takes over on violin, his expressive solo adding a delicate folk element to the proceedings. The overall effect is soothing and really rather lovely.

“My Imaginary Friend” raises the energy levels once more with its punchy ensemble sound and tight grooves. Stanford takes the first solo on electric piano before handing over to Raja who gleefully makes highly effective use of his wah wah pedal on a concise but virtuoso solo on his five string electric bass. There’s also something of a drum feature for Nickolls, the man once dubbed the “Groovemeister” by the Jazzmann.

“Sketches Of Space” (see what he just did there) introduces Raja’s second big name American guest, trumpeter Randy Brecker. Brecker’s contribution subtly alludes to Miles Davis and “Sketches Of Spain” and his playing is fluent, elegant and eloquent throughout on this slow burner of a tune. The ingenious title is probably part inspired by the ethereal sounds of Pringle’s keyboard washes which provide the textured backdrop against which Brecker weaves his magic.

It’s possible that the title “RocknRolla” is an allusion to its guest soloist as Stern returns to the fray with a towering solo above the blues / funk grooves generated by his London based colleagues.

“Primetime” represents the second appearance from Brecker who shares the solos with Pringle’s Fender Rhodes. Both musicians are buoyed by a bubbling funk groove and some razor sharp ensemble playing. It’s not dissimilar to something that the Brecker Brothers themselves might have attempted in their heyday.

The album concludes with “Shiva Mantra” which sees the Indian influence returning with Lidke’s vocal chant but it’s Xenopoulos who is the dominant instrumental voice with a powerful, inventive and gloriously uplifting sax solo.

All in all “Gurutopia” represents another impressive showing from Raja even if he does allow his own playing to take something of a back seat, at least in terms of soloing. Nevertheless he and drummer Nickolls are right at the heart of the Collective’s music and their combined presence sparks some inspired contributions from their colleagues. Both Stern and Brecker are in inspired and imperious form on the pieces on which they are featured but there are also some winning contributions from the London based musicians with Xenopoulos, Roggen and the two keyboard players all adding memorable solos.

The best place to hear Raja and his Collective is still probably in the live environment but this album is a rewarding summation of their considerable combined abilities.

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