Search - Paranoise :: Constant Fear

Intelligent lively entertaining committed

Mr. Rgs Draycott | penzance | 11/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fine prog-rock collection from intelligent politically motivated Band, principally a vehicle for Jim Matus on whom more below. Inspiration drawn, among others, from Noam Chomsky..."Modern industrial civilization has developed within a system of convenient myths. The driving force has been individual material gain, which is accepted as legitimate, even praiseworthy, on grounds that private vices yield public benefits in the classic formulation. It has long been understood that a society based on this principle will destroy itself in time. It can only persist with whatever suffering and injustice it entails as long as it is possible to pretend that the destructive forces that humans create are limited, that the world is an infinite resource and that the world is an infinite garbage can. At this stage in history one of two things is possible. Either the general population will take control of its own destiny and will concern itself with community interests guided by values of solidarity, sympathy and concern for others, or there will be no destiny for anyone to control. As long as some specialized class is in a position of authority, it is going to set policy for the special interests that it serves. But the conditions of survival, let alone justice, require rational social planning in the interests of the community as a whole, and by now that means the global community. The question is whether privileged elites should dominate mass communication and should use this power as they tell us they must, namely to impose necessary illusions to manipulate and deceive the "stupid majority" and remove them from the public arena. The question in brief is whether democracy and freedom are values to be preserved or threats to be avoided. In this possibly terminal phase of human existence, democracy and freedom are more than values to be treasured, they may well be essential to survival. "



Line-up

- Jim Matus / electric and acoustic guitars, baritone guitar, mandocello, laouto, tamboura, harmonium, vocals, samples, arrangements

- Micky Ortiz / ???

- Lloyd Fonoroff / drum machine

- Lenny Picket / Tenor saxophone (1,5)

- Steve Elson / Baritone saxophone (1,5)

- Anthony Jackson / Contrabass guitar (1,6)

- Luther Thomas / Alto saxophone (2,3,4)

- Gary Windo / Tenor saxophone (3,6,7,9)

- Percy Jones / Fretless bass (4,7,9)

- Don Cherry / trumpet (4,9)

- Melvin Gibbs / bass (8)

- Joy Askew / backing vocals (8)

- Nikki Gregoroff / backing vocals (8)

- Spirit Ensemble / percussion (9)



Jim Matus studied guitar and composition at Berklee College of Music and privately with John Scofield. In the early 80's, Matus brought his radical stylings to New York where he played with many cutting edge downtown ensembles. He has performed and recorded with such diverse musicians as Don Cherry, Anthony Jackson, Dave Weckl, Percy Jones, Steve Marcus, Lenny Picket, Roy Nathanson, David Torn, Elliot Sharp, Philip Johnston, Gary Windo, Billy Bang, Melvin Gibbs, Al Anderson ,and Bern Nix. Early Musical influences such as King Crimson, Spirit and Weather Report later evolved into an obsession with the indigenous music of Africa, the Middle East and India.The Sufi music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and the Moroccan Master Musicians of Jajouka have recently inspired the latest incarnation of Paranoise, along with the philosophies of Noam Chomsky and Terrence McKenna.

Intelligent lively entertaining committed a crossover most closely aligned to prog rock but with World Music influences.

Try this...I'm glad I did.

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