ARJUN

Since 2003, progressive rock and improv group ARJUN has been fusing these two unexpected genres together in the most fluid of ways. Needless to say, this instrumental-only band should have much more of a following than they do, which barely hits 2,000 Facebook "likes." How do I know? Because they completely and totally crushed their show last Friday at Rockwood Music Hall.

The final act of the evening, they walked onstage with a reserved, unassuming air to them. Then, for the next 45 minutes, ARJUN took us on an emotionally electric journey that left listeners with bulging eyes. The group is made up of shaggy-haired Eddie Arjun on guitar, Lamar Myers on drums (rocking a turquoise fedora, tight black jeans, and no shirt), and Andre Lyes on bass. They didn’t interact much with one another throughout the show, yet they somehow combined to produce something remarkable: dirty rock with hints of jazz.

As soon as the show began, the trio came out firing from their musical hips, playing songs from their latest album, Space—an awesomely adventurous collection that evokes emotional victory by way of the band's unadulterated flair. Eddie's guitar work resembles that of Gary Clark, Jr.; as a whole, the band recalls a combo of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Pink Floyd, with a hint of Queen.

As usual at Rockwood, the crowd was eclectic. One older man standing next to me couldn't take his eyes off of Eddie's fingers as they fluidly danced across the strings. "What the f*ck?!" he kept saying as he looked around to get support from his fellow patrons. Another man dressed in plaid said, "Even though this isn't my kind of music . . . wow!" as he proceeded to crush the air guitar.

Towards the end of the show, Eddie, channeling Radiohead circa In Rainbows, said: "Take a CD, pay whatever you want." Within minutes, a cardboard box that sat on the edge of the stage was emptied of CDs and full of cash.

With instrumental rock being somewhat on the fringe, it's unclear where ARJUN will go from here. But, those lucky enough to have seen them one thing: They know how to rock. - Feast of Music

ARJUN, the three-piece instrumental band from New York, has been trailblazing their own hybrid of rock and improvisational jazz since 2003. After signing with Pheromone Records in 2006, ARJUN, made up of Eddie Arjun Peters (guitar), Lamar Myers (drums), and Andre Lyles (bass), released their debut album PIECES, followed by 2013’s SPACE. SPACE, is the first in a three-album trilogy.

arjun-350bThe band’s latest upcoming release, CORE, is second in the three-album trilogy. According to the band it is a reinvention of ARJUN’s sound and style, rooted in carefully crafted melodies which tell resonant stories without words. CORE also features the talents of John Medeski (of Medeski Martin & Wood) on its title track, and was mixed by legendary producer/mixer Scotty Hard. CORE was recorded at Level 11 Studios in New York City and at a studio in Brooklyn. It was produced by Eddie Arjun Peters and mastered at Turtletone Mastering by Michael Fossenkemper (Medeski Martin & Wood, Soulive, Bootsy Collins…).

The album officially gets out on 9/23, and we were able to hear a preview, while the single and title track CORE is already available on CdBaby and iTunes.

Close your eyes and it’s easy to feel like you are back in the 60s or70s while taking in this beautiful piece of music. Obvious blues influences abound as that sweet Eddie Arjun Peters way of guitar play washes its way into your soul and through a myriad of chunky riffs and breezy jazz-rock grooves. This is thorough ‘power-trio’ music, with the addition of John Medeski’s Organ interludes of course.

These guys are an explosive ball of musical energy. ARJUN work as a trio because each member has a powerful command over his instrument, as is well demonstrated on CORE.

Eddie Arjun Peters is an unbelievable guitarist, Andre Lyles is a supremely talented bassist, and Lamar Myers is a killer drummer. And if you need a quick demonstration or ‘musical shortcut’ to the aural pleasure they provide, just tune into “Lavalust”, which sums up, in just over 4 minutes how extremely talented and cohesive this band is.

If you are having doubts about purchasing this album, leave them behind. CORE is near perfect in every way. From the opening track, “Rocks” through “Deep Impact”, “Core”, Crystaline, “Lavalust, “Alchemy and “Within You” , there is excellent diversity, from sweet blues and jazz influences to ass kicking rock.

It is rare when a new release lives up to the expectations that you have for it, but when it actually far exceeds those expectations you know that something is seriously going on in the music!

ARJUN are steadfastly moving instrumental rock into the future, taking with it the noble heritage of the past. All wrapped up in outstanding songwriting and the awe-inspiring guitar work of Eddie Arjun Peters. The band manages to sound both high-flying and respectably restrained at the same time. A rare trait, reserved only by great musicians, sure of their craft.

If you have not heard ARJUN yet, I would recommend it as soon as possible. CORE is a good a place as any to start! - JAMSPHERE

ARJUN is an instrumental trio from New York formed in 2003, consisting of Eddie Arjun Peters (g), Lamar Myers (d) and Andre Lyles (b). As the name of the band suggests, the songs seem to have Myers and Lyles' solid rhythms orbit around Peters' lyrical guitar; creating beautiful, well balanced jazz rock that would go very well in a Sci-fi spaghetti western (you know, like Joss Whedon's Firefly). This does not mean that the rhythm section keeps it low-key throughout the album: Lyles shows off with a bit of funky slaps at the beginning of Lavalust and Myers demonstrates some subtle virtuosity in Rocks, Deep Impact, and Within You. The highlight of the album is the title track, which features MMW's John Medeski on organ. Medeski's contribution is naturally sublime, so much so that I felt there could be more organ throughout the album and not just that one song. However, Peters demonstrates a very delicate, lyrical quality to his guitar playing; never really going rough or fuzzy, always a clean, crisp tone soaring high above the firm rhythm foundation laid out by Myers and Lyles. Arjun's Core threatens to go loud, but never really gets loud, it is a delicate balance of all its parts, a subtle nudge here and there, and before you know it, a planet is built.

review by Ernesto - 88.1 FM WYCE

Arjun are a New York based instrumental trio, consisting of lead guitarist (and producer of this album) Eddie Arjun Peters, backed up by Andre Lyles on bass and Lamar Myers on drums. Together they cook up a potent brew of hybrid genres that showcases their virtuosity and versatility but never makes a gratuitous display of it. They have built up a solid fanbase through gigging, though they deserve to be heard by a much wider audience.

This album, Core, follows on from is the second as part of a trilogy and their third overall. What makes Arjun unique is that, while they may seem at first glance to be a standard blues rock band, the kind that indulges in extended jams centred around improvised guitar solos, Arjun’s music is in fact highly structured and disciplined. The complexity and intricacy of the arrangements are something that is more commonly found in prog rock groups like Dream Theater and Tool.

However, Arjun never deploy the often soulless, banal melodies found in that genre, on the contrary the music is always soulful and passionate. Whilst Arjun are rhythmically highly versatile, they also avoid the often bewildering overly complicated time signatures found in prog rock. So, in fact, they are a distinctive hybrid; I would classify their music as progressive blues-jazz, with heavy doses of rock and funk thrown into the heady mix.

The album begins with Rocks, and features a surging rock intro that, if you weren’t familiar with the band, you’d expect to lead into a huge stadium beat and guitar riff. The unsuspecting listener is wrongfooted though, as it quickly moves to a jaunty jazzy melody on guitar with some fantastic stickwork from Myers. With his lighting fast snare fills, and mixture of rock and jazz drumming, he brings to mind Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, though Myers’ playing is not as loose.

The track goes through several sections juggling rock, jazz and funk with effortless ease, leading to a light and breezy solo from Eddie Arjun Peters. It is one of the more laid-back solos on the album in what sounds like the Dorian mode to my ear, which brought to mind Santana. The tightness and unity with which the three musicians play is what most impresses, with not a note or drum hit out of place in its five minute duration and this is a strong start to the album.

The second track Deep Impact starts with a brooding, insistent jazz rhythm and a haunting guitar figure that evokes a strong sense of mood. This is then countered by an intense building section of rapid hi hat work and Andre Lyles gets show his skills more as this piece develops, contributing a funky, memorable bassline. Eddie Arjun Peters’ guitar playing is more aggressive here and his solo is more in a blues-rock style, reminiscent of Joe Satriani with some searing, incredibly fluent runs across the neck.

Third up is the title track which features the highly regarded John Medeski (best known for Medeski Martin and Wood) on organ and which I have reviewed previously. It is six minutes of exquisitely crafted blues rock that channels the spirit of Electric Ladyland (more specifically the epic fifteen-minute version of Voodoo Chile) and features some superb playing from Medeski on a nicely overdriven Hammond. Eddie Arjun Peters’ playing is perfectly nuanced throughout on this one, more than ably supported by his rhythm section.

Crystalline is aptly titled, with an introductory section featuring a gorgeous shimmering guitar sound and a languorous feel that brought to mind Albatross by Fleetwood Mac. It then gets going with a more upbeat but still laid back section, building up to some wonderfully fluid wah-wah guitar playing, the tone reminiscent of the classic solo in All Along The Watchtower.

Sixth track Lavalust was my personal favourite on the album. Starting with some superb slap bass drenched in distortion, this is Arjun at their synergistic best with all three members contributing equally. Lyles, in particular, gets to shine more on this one, his bass playing excellent throughout, Myers’ drumming locks in to the music with metronomic precision and there’s not a dull moment in its five and a half minutes.

The next track Alchemy was not one of the album highlights for me, however. Though a perfectly accomplished piece of music, it felt a little uninspired and lacking in mood, with Myers sounding like he is straining at the leash a little, slightly overplaying in certain parts, as if attempting to inject some life into the track. It is the only part of the album where the musicians aren’t working in perfect harmony to my ear, but this is really just a minor criticism as it is still enjoyable listening. I did enjoy the chiming ascending guitar riff and simplicity of the string-bend based melody.

Within You is the closing track and a strong finish to the album, a mellow low-key number with the same late-night feel as the title track, though there was an elegiac, somewhat melancholy feel to the music which provided nice contrast to the more upbeat numbers. I loved how the guitar and bass play in harmony in certain sections and the musical tightness and unity displayed in the last seconds of the piece is quite remarkable. It could be argued that finishing the album with two mid-paced tracks leads to a slight loss of momentum after the high point of Lavalust, but perhaps they are saving the fireworks finale for the third album of the trilogy.

Overall, these minor quibbles aside, this is an excellent album, a consistently impressive and enjoyable body of work that has been recorded and produced to perfection (special credit should also go to Scotty Hard who mixed the album). Arjun are masters of their craft and their synergy is clearly the result of years of playing together, as with all the best bands. You can also sense this is a real labour of love for all involved, and repeated listenings are richly rewarding as the intricacies and nuances become more manifest. As the music is instrumental in nature it lends itself to be suitable for soundtracks, which I hope will lead to the widespread recognition this band deserves, though I think will be best appreciated by people who know true musical class when they hear it. - The Faulkner Review

Holy s***!! This is exactly what I’ve been needing in my life.

ARJUN has been perfecting their fusion of rock and improvisational jazz since 2003 from their home base in New York.

Space is an epic journey through soundscapes characterized by their avant garde-esque forays into killer bass grooves, a rockin’ drum kit, and some of the most beautiful guitar tones I have heard emanate from a record in quite some time.

I feel like my breath is being taken away as Eddie Arjun Peters delicately yet powerfully makes his guitar scream frequencies guaranteed to move your inner-self into a higher place.

Backed by Lamar Myles on drums and Andre Lyles on bass, this trio is blasting out of the galaxy on frequencies made of gold. I would love to see these cats live!

Beginning in Orion and blasting all the way to Radio Star, Space is an album of epic music. Go get it….now.

The album was recorded at Level 11 Studios in New York City and produced by Mr. Peters himself. Mastering duties were handled by Michael Fossenkemper of Turtletone Mastering.

There are no layers, there are no overdubs. This is the moment captured as it happened in the studio. This is storytelling without words. Sometimes vocals can be overrated. - Middle Tennessee Music

As a huge fan of instrumental music that is heavy on improvisation, I was more than excited to receive 'CORE' the latest release from 'ARJUN' (a three-piece instrumental band from NYC). This band grabs you right out of the gate with their musical maturity and crisp production. Usually when bands progress to this skill level they lose some of the initial emotion that drove the initial desire to pick up an instrument. This is not the case with ARJUN...they bleed emotion over a skillfully crafted skeleton while weaving melody and tasty phrases in an out of a percussive loom.

The album opens with 'Rocks', which has an urgent post rock intro progression that dynamically drags the listener right into that realm where instrumental musicians speak with their instruments. The second track 'Deep Impact' is graced with the winding and soaring guitar solos of Eddie Arjun Peters and frantic (yet subtle)snare work of Lamar Myers that demands both respect and acknowledgement, all of which is tied together by a driving bass line by Andre Lyles that is locked on from the opening notes. All of which is definitely a task of subtlety and skill.

The third/title track 'CORE' is of course a standout as it features John Medeski (Yes of Medeski, Martin, Wood notoriety). Medeski's contribution to this track is tactful,smooth, and yet delivers some of his classic organ phrasing that is recognizable within a few minutes into the song. This track is definitely worth the purchase of the album for MMW collectors, and honestly You couldn't be as skilled as ARJUN in NYC without gaining some attention from that camp.

The fourth track 'Crystalline' is a unique composition as it initially nods in a Spaghetti western soundtrack ala David Lynch direction but then seems to float into a festival style groove that Warren Haynes would walk all over if he had the opportunity. Its a beautiful song that conjures images of spinning girls with hula hoops, patchouli, tye dye and summer.

The fifth track 'Lavalust' confirms what I thought all along...Bassist Andre Lyles holds back 90% of the time, but when he lets loose he is a BOSS. The opening slap and pop to this track is like discovering that these guys have a secret weapon much like Eddie Hazel's guitar work on 'Maggot Brain'. At about 2:15 into this track the listener is swept into waters not explored since Primus's 'Fish on'. The sixth track Alchemy presents a different approach to guitar composition for this group. A more picked and chordal technique is employed while a few sparse dashes of 90's Alt rock are peppered into the mix.

The seventh and final track of core seems to press further into a more exploratory realm that is reminicent of more experimental and ambient work of Pat Metheny and Joe Satriani. Everything about this record makes me want to take a road trip with 'CORE' as a soundtrack.

website : arjunmusic.com - Blue Harvest Records

It’s not as common for musicians to take the sequence of trilogies and apply them in their line of work. But instrumental rock band ARJUN is breaking the rules with the second part of a trilogy, and an album called Core. This three piece instrumental group has been crafting stellar tracks since 2003. Based out of New York, the trio combines the musical flavors of blues ­rock guitar with fusion and jazz to build intriguing musical textures that explode in an enriching musical experience.

The new album contains multiple genres of influence and styles, combining the guitar virtuoso of Eddie Arjun Peters (stylistically like Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson) with drummer Lamar Myers and bassist Andrew Lyles, genres ebb and flow in harmony of recreation of fusion, rock, and jazz. Song samples from the new album as well as more info is at their website (http://arjunmusic.com/).

Core is the followup to the debut album Space. A few key tracks (and my favorites) of the new album include the appropriately kicking first tune Rocks, the funk infused Lavalust (featuring some incredibly bass work), and Within You. - CMUSE

Melodic instrumental guitar rock is delivered by Arjun in a no holds barred, defiantly expressive fashion.

While Arjun’s latest album Core is on the whole experimental and wildly expressive in many areas, the opening track ‘Rocks’ is quite possibly the closest to accessible easy listening instrumental rock you are going to get. With its relatively standard chord sequence, it is a pleasant introduction to Arjun’s music, with Andre Lyles’ bass playing laying down a solid foundation for the track’s other instrumentation to dance around. Continuing on to ‘Deep Impact’, things start to feel a little more edgy. Being darker in tone, the track ever so slightly nods to some of Satriani’s more sedate moments, and creates a sense of warmth and space that invites the listener to come along and get lost in its lingering notes. Title track ‘Core’ is more psychedelic, with its swirling organ courtesy of special guest John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood, and a blisteringly cool guitar solo delivered by Eddie Arjun Peters. It’s smoky and so laid back it is virtually horizontal, Hendrix-like with its squealing notes that at times feel like they might leap out of the speakers to grab you around the throat. The track’s mid point lets the organ loose, a real high point on the album, with its old school sound that evokes all kinds of vintage feelings, before the guitar enters the scene once more and partners with it to the point of perfection.The wide, sprawling vistas painted by ‘Crystalline’ shimmer and sparkle with the impression of gently journeying along the open road, on the way to new pastures. As the guitars pick up, there is a bright sense of hope and expectation, leading into a squelchy wah-wah solo that feels like a kind of dream sequence in the midst of the track’s progression. The funk really gets the chance to strut its stuff on ‘Lavalust’, a bass-belching track filled with crunch and groove. While there’s a funk foundation to its construction, there are glimmers of blues that weave in and out, and the way the track plays out happens in a way that you might not expect on first listen. The bass slurs and grumbles, while the guitar notes go off scattershot, and the track eventually moves into a Lenny Kravitz style funk/indie rock crossover. ‘Alchemy’ heads in an altogether smoother direction, with a guitar lead that feels as though it is trying to charm or otherwise seduce the rhythm section as it dances confidently around the drums and bass by showing off the moves it has to offer. Who know’s if they will end up together by the end of the night? Closing with ‘Within You’, Core draws to its conclusion by presenting everything that Arjun has spent the album communicating in one fell swoop. The guitar effortlessly speaks out its voice like a Shakespearean soliloquy as the album reaches its end, all is left as silence, with the sounds of the past tracks standing like seven benevolent ghosts, inviting you to resurrect them to live once more. - Crossradar

Arjun
Pieces
Pheromone Records
If funk and groove is your thing, then you'll love the debut CD from Arjun. There are incredible drumbeats and guitar licks that resemble the musical artistry of New Orleans bands like Galactic and The Meters, especially in "Balls" and "Longass." This jamming band from New York will simply amaze and astound, and you'll definitely think they're locals (New Orleanians) from the first note to the last. Arjun uses the classic groove rhythms, bass beats, and techniques that magically fall into place while still giving their music a contemporary edge within the composition. As an instrumental band, Arjun definitely shines through with their superb melodic harmonies and riffs, giving the listener a deeper soulful energy that is quenched throughout pieces. Be sure to listen carefully to find hidden bits and pieces, especially during a killer guitar solo in "Wung It" that resembles something from Santana, and "Fall to Pieces" which resembles some musical configurations from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

-Sheri McKee
- WhereY'at

Arjun
Pieces
Pheromone Records
If funk and groove is your thing, then you'll love the debut CD from Arjun. There are incredible drumbeats and guitar licks that resemble the musical artistry of New Orleans bands like Galactic and The Meters, especially in "Balls" and "Longass." This jamming band from New York will simply amaze and astound, and you'll definitely think they're locals (New Orleanians) from the first note to the last. Arjun uses the classic groove rhythms, bass beats, and techniques that magically fall into place while still giving their music a contemporary edge within the composition. As an instrumental band, Arjun definitely shines through with their superb melodic harmonies and riffs, giving the listener a deeper soulful energy that is quenched throughout pieces. Be sure to listen carefully to find hidden bits and pieces, especially during a killer guitar solo in "Wung It" that resembles something from Santana, and "Fall to Pieces" which resembles some musical configurations from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

-Sheri McKee
- WhereY'at

"pieces"

Eddie Peters and his two colleagues have produced a powerful recording with this release. Strong driving tracks full of energy and with a pulsating beat, the pace rarely lets up from first to last with Mr Peter's guitar playing a force to be reckoned with, backed superbly by outstanding drumming and Bass playing. The overall sound is inventive and refreshingly different, the fusion of different types of Music works well. Three very talented Musicians indeed,I await their next recording with considerable interest.

Best Regards.

John Reid, Keith Community Radio 102.8 FM Keith, Banffshire, SCOTLAND - Keith Community Radio 102.8 FM

"pieces"

Eddie Peters and his two colleagues have produced a powerful recording with this release. Strong driving tracks full of energy and with a pulsating beat, the pace rarely lets up from first to last with Mr Peter's guitar playing a force to be reckoned with, backed superbly by outstanding drumming and Bass playing. The overall sound is inventive and refreshingly different, the fusion of different types of Music works well. Three very talented Musicians indeed,I await their next recording with considerable interest.

Best Regards.

John Reid, Keith Community Radio 102.8 FM Keith, Banffshire, SCOTLAND - Keith Community Radio 102.8 FM