reviews
...weaves us in and out of a perfectly crafted dream-world
June 2008
In 2007, Boston-based instrumental group Esthema, released a CD entitled, "Apart From The Rest." This "World Fusion Ensemble" consists of five members merging the sounds of violin, oud/bouzouki, drums/doumbek, bass, and guitar. It is a blending of Eastern and Western traditions that bring myriad flavors to the table resulting in a wonderful international resonance. Within each of the six compositions featured on the CD, different styles and genres such as Middle Eastern, Jazz, and Progressive Rock are effortlessly pulled in and led away, only to reappear, forming a lovely circle of sound that fully engages the listener. "For Whom? For Me…" is one such example where these many pieces are smoothly rolled into one. Likewise on "Erimos," which keeps moving at a steady, upbeat pace that holds the listener's attention. Our favorite was "Distance," with the haunting beginning of a classical arrangement that then rises to a crescendo, and weaves us in and out of a perfectly crafted dream-world. This is the place where one can entirely appreciate the talent of these musicologists. Bravo!***** The Best!
—Lily Emeralde and Emma Dyllan, Phosphorescence Magazine, June 2008 Issue
It’s a perfect combination of Middle Eastern/East European folk music and American jazz, like an amped-up Loreena McKennitt without vocals.
april 2008
I’ve gotta come clean and tell you that I’m a bellydancer and I love jazz. I want to kiss my editor for sending me this disc. It’s a perfect combination of Middle Eastern/East European folk music and American jazz, like an amped-up Loreena McKennitt without vocals. This quintet has studied all over the world, and with excellent musicianship, they smoothly turn out originals centered around the beautiful melodies played on oud, bouzouki (both members of the lute family prominent in Middle Eastern music) and violin with bass, drums and guitar providing the support.
It’s the drums and bass that give these compositions an American jazz sound. Missing are the distinctly polyrhythmic Middle Eastern beats. In fact, if you isolated the rhythm section you’d find a pretty standard jazz base. Very well-played and creative, to be sure, but definitely not Turkish or Egyptian. The same goes for the bass and guitar. It’s the gorgeous minor melodies played on the other stringed instruments that serve as a centerpiece for this recording and really make them stand out from the crowd of bands doing “world music.” (Can I say how much I hate that term? Everything is world music. It’s just a label slapped on some bands by folks who think anything outside of the states is exotic.)
On “Consequence” the violin and bouzouki do a very cool call and answer, then join together for musical phrases. (Please forgive me if I confuse the oud and bouzouki. There aren’t separate credits for each cut and to my ear, they have a similar sound.) It quiets for a section then the bouzouki becomes the focus, ably backed by the drums and bass. There are several more sections – like a good jazz jam with lots of tasty melody – and towards the end is another call and answer. Beautiful. “For Whom? For Me …” is in an odd time that compliments the melody. Every good jazz band has a few tunes in something besides 4/4. “Apart From the Rest” really lets the band stretch and show off their chops with each of them taking a solo and no, the bass solo doesn’t suck. This isn’t some garage band, y’all, they know their stuff.
I should send roses to my editor for giving me this disc. As for everyone else – go hear Esthema live – they seem to play in Massachusetts and New York mostly – or buy their disc. Don’t bother with the flowers.
—Jamie Anderson, Indie-Music.com, April 2008
...a unique listening experience
march/april 2008
While many may find the new age-jazz-rock fusion genre to be as pretentious as a Sting discourse on global warming and tantric sex, there is a band out there that might please even those critics. The Massachusetts-based Esthema is a promising quintet who has just released the enjoyable Apart From The Rest which works well because of the band’s top-notch musicianship.
Best of all, Esthema has added something else to the normally staid jazz-rock sound – a heavy Eastern European influence – that makes the six instrumentals on Apart From The Rest a unique listening experience. Every song features an impressive blending of genres with a typical example being the track “For Whom? For Me.” The song has a Moroccan influence but there is also an American jam-band vibe to it as Onur Dilisen impresses with his violin playing much like DMB’s Boyd Tinsley.
While there is some jazz freeform stuff going on underneath in some of the songs, Esthema also knows how to play a song with hooks and melody as the standout “Finding My Way” shows. With the right lyrics, that track could have easily found its way onto the radio.
For all of this to work, the musicians obviously have to be gifted and all here know exactly what they are doing. The most impressive are Andy Milas who does great acoustic steel guitar on “Consequence,” Carl Sorensen who provides a solid backbone with his strong drumming, and Tery Lemanis who plays the European stringed instruments the oud and bouzouki particularly well throughout the recording.
—Todd Sikorski, Skope Magazine, March/April 2008 Issue
Esthema has made a truly moving and magical musical experience
february 2008
Esthema is a World Fusion ensemble based in Boston, MA that deserves your attention. Drawing on musical styles from Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and combining them with Prog and Jazz themes is worth a listen, even if simply in respect for the sheer audacity this takes. Esthema has the goods to match its audacity with talent, reminding us all that it's only bragging if you can't back it up.
Apart From The Rest is ultimately listenable and memorable, taking your mood from Eastern European Café to Saudi Bazaar and back again. You'll tap your feet and find yourself dancing in your seat even if you're not the sort to do so. "Erimos" is a true gem here, slowing down the thought process but branching out to places you couldn't imagine a little instrumental EP going to. "Finding My Way" sounds like it should have been the soundtrack to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and you'll find the melody winding its way through your noggin long after the CD has stopped playing.
This reviewer is not generally a huge fan of instrumental records, as it is easy for instrumentalists to become self-derivative within the space of an album, but Esthema has made a truly moving and magical musical experience. They are definitely worth your time.
—Wildy Haskell, Wildy's World
...a truly exciting instrumental record
December 2007
Although they call Massachusetts home, Esthema mix up progressive Western rock styles with Eastern European folk and Middle Eastern influences on their debut album, ‘Apart From The Rest’. They call it ‘world fusion’, and that’s as good a name as any for a form of music which seems to encompass such a large part of the planet. The Middle Eastern influence is especially enticing and in parts it reminds me of Jaz Coleman and Anne Dudley’s ‘Songs From The Victorious City’ album, at other times the references are less obvious, though no less captivating. Overall, a truly exciting instrumental record, which should appeal to musical adventurers everywhere. Their Myspace page offers four of the seven tracks to audition and if they hook you, then CD Baby has it available for purchase.
—Rob Forbes, Leicester Bangs
...the seamless blend of Eastern and Western motifs
November 2007
Esthema is a Massachusetts-based quintet that performs traditional Eastern/Latin (gypsy, Greek, samba) music with a solid jazz-rock foundation and flowing improvisation. I’d liken much of it to the music by those old guys who serenade the belly dancer at your local Middle Eastern restaurant – only on steroids.
The propulsive rhythms and consequent ability to build dynamic tension on a track such as “Distance,” for example, is what sets Esthema apart from a purely traditional ensemble. That, plus the seamless blend of Eastern and Western motifs: Ethnic scales and meters intertwine delightfully with jazz-rock drums and bass beneath jazzy improv and winding melodies. “Finding My Way” is a great example of the band combining these disparate elements with a melody you can hum it.
Onur Dilisen’s authoritative violin leads are complemented by Tery Lemanis on oud and bouzouki for the undeniable ethnic flavor, while drummer/percussionist Carl Sorensen adds flair via djembe and doumbek. Acoustic guitarist Andy Milas and bassist Jack Mason provide the contemporary “glue” bringing it all together.
—John Collinge, Progression, Issue 52, Fall 2007
Progression magazine is a quarterly journal of progressive music.
Esthema knows what the heck it’s doing...
August 2007
No two words scare a body like mine like world music do. Most of the time, the stuff’s created by a bunch of well-intentioned lads who drive expensive cars, wear fancy clothes and have a lot of liberal guilt over their immense financial superiority. The results are usually powerful enough to turn goat pee into rancid goat pee as said lads rarely take the time to learn how to play the instruments they claim to fascinated with. Often, they lock into a single idea, get their “we be jammin’” shtick on and go from there. Sure, I paint in broad strokes, have probably offended your Saab-toting uncle Walter (who just happens to wear suspenders and look a little bit like Barry Levinson to say nothing of how he won the county oud carving contest last summer). But all that offensive jargon, lads, was to let you know that Esthema knows what the heck it’s doing. With fine refined compositions such as “Consequence,” “For Whom? For Me” and “Finding My Way,” the Massachusetts-based quintet makes the case for not giving up on world music just yet.
— Jedd Beaudoin, Sea of Tranquility
Sea of Tranquility is a web portal for information, news, and reviews related to the worlds of progressive rock, various forms of metal, and fusion music.
Great Stuff
July 2007
I found lots to enjoy in this distinctive, very well played and solidly produced hybrid of musics. The writing was a very appealing hybrid of the music of several locales, with some Gypsy, Moroccan and Eastern European flavors. The sound of the strong violin, in combination with the guitar and Middle Eastern sounding stringed instrument (bouzouki), reminded me a good bit of Shakti, John McLaughlin's acoustic World music band, though that band was tilted more towards India and yours leans more towards Europe/Middle East. The playing was high quality and impassioned by all. The rhythm section was flexible and played with authority. Great stuff.
— TAXI, The World's Leading Independent A&R Company
