KASHGAR

Like a very promising act that goes for all the marbles KASHGAR self titled 2015 release shows up where this band is coming from, up front and straight. So! Santana, Di Meola, Beck (Jeff), McLaughlin, even S.R.V followers, KASHGAR is deeply influenced by these huge names in the Jazz Rock/Fusion district seasoned with Indo/Raga flavors and from there they construct this unpretentious, hearfelt and highly enjoyable ride.

What makes it tick beyond the "deeply influenced" or "tribute like" relies entirely on it steadfast simplicity which in no way means simplistic. Those names mentioned beforehand besides their obvious connection with the same instrument, created each their own musical idiom, far away from their performance virtuosity alone.

Kashgar's musical idiom sounds like a perfect blend in perfect dossages of those foreign musical idioms. As if after really studying these older teachers they picked up their best, filtered it off any kind of "guitar god" glitter and paraphernalia and focused into spilling their hearts out anyway these "old master's" ways lead.

Highly emotional (upbeat/downbeat), contemporary and recreative, a very promising first release that should easily find its way in any Jazz/Rock/Fusion, Indo-Prog/Raga Rock prog collection in some way or another.

***3.5 PA stars.