OHM

I was introduced to this power trio in the summer of 1999. I had the good fortune of working with a personal friend of Chris Poland, whom I had idolized as a kid, growing up on Megadeth and assorted thrash metal. This friend invited me to a show one night, and changed my musical perspective forever.

Having heard the term "Jazz Fusion", but never understanding what the genre entailed, I was in for a real paradigm shift in my melodic conscious. What ensued that night was a set that consisted of tightly arranged compositions, set ablaze with fire and soul. As I struggled to take in the technical genius that weaved in and out of dramatic tone changes and erratic tempos, I realized... this is music. Everything I had come to know before that night flew out the window.

I set out on a journey of discovery, finding a vein of musical greats that I had missed along the way. Brand X, Return to Forever and Mahavishnu Orchestra all crossed my path and found their way into my collection, but I could never find that "sound" that had so impressed me the night I heard OHM. Consistently checking the Chris Poland website, I finally caught wind of a studio release in 2003. Needless to say, I pre- ordered the album and received a copy of what surely had to have been the first run. I was not disappointed.

The sheer virtuoso element of Poland and Pag would be enough to make this album a true masterpiece. But it's their arrangement and attention to structure and transition that make it so unique and intensely creative. Poland is a technical guru (I knew that purely from early Megadeth) but his feel and "gut" rivals that of Stevie Ray Vaughn, or Eric Clapton. I actually found myself on the verge of tears listening to "Between Us" one night. While on the lower end of things, Robertino Pagliari complements Chris on every angle. Pag has discovered the mystery of playing air tight, lightning fast bass chops, without getting lost in the mix... a real rarity. David Eagle is not to be ignored. He gels the trio together with his relentless yet laid back style.

This one is something special, folks. Even in the vast array of fusion and prog rock, OHM stands out as a cut above and years beyond.