Stormy Mondays | Garaj Mahal Live In 2003

Back in 2003 Garaj Mahal was at the height of their powers. A stellar funk fusion explosion featuring Fareed Haque on guitar, Kai Eckhardt on bass, Eric Levy on keys and Alan Hertz on drums, the band was at turns incredibly tight or ready for a wide open jam; driving the groove or creating a moment of mesmerizing delicacy.

You never knew what you’d get at a show, and even if a song was repeated, it was as different as could be. (I remember catching four shows in a row in the spring of ’04, each featuring an entirely unique take on their groove number “Be Dope,” ranging from six minutes to sixteen.) Since Roctober officially begins this week, we are listening back to heart of the band’s Hallloween weekend set at Moe’ Alley in 2003: a long, funky “Meatless Patty,” a gorgeous “Jonesin’ for Wayne,” a fun and varied “Poodle Factory” (even if it is short on the narration) and an achingly beautiful “Of a Simple Mind.” This is really amazing music from a band that was maybe too good to last. As always, enjoy!

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Written By: Dan Alford