http://zoiksmag.blogspot.com/2008/10/garaj-mahal-represents-world.htmlBy Jason Tanamor
The band Garaj Mahal got its name from a contest the band hosted when it first started. “At the very beginning stages of the band, we had an email contest and got several hundred ideas for band names,” Eric Levy said. “We ended up using Garaj Mahal because it represented the world influences the band has.”
Levy, keyboards, was the final member to join the unique band that also consists of Kai Eckhardt, bass; Fareed Haque, guitars; genetically-funky Sean Rickman, drums; and the recently departed Alan Hertz, drums. “It started with Fareed, our guitar player, flying to San Francisco to do a show with our drummer Alan. Alan knew Kai, and Fareed knew me. We’ve been playing together for the last eight years,” said Levy. “They had a keyboard player for a few months, but he left and pretty much, outside of San Francisco, it’s been just us, the same four members.”
Garaj Mahal’s music, a variation of tunes with both jazz and Indian influences, focuses on different grooves that people can dance to. It’s something that Levy, along with the rest of the guys, wants to convey to their audience. “I think people will get out of it what they’re willing to put into it. If someone is going out to dance and have a good time, or maybe meet someone, that’s a possibility at our show,” said Levy. “If they have fun then we’re happy for them. If someone wants to be intellectually challenged, that option is available to them. People tend to go to our show for one or all those options.”
Like its name and original way it came about, the band also looks at its music as different than what’s out on the scene today, specifically when it comes to the show, ‘American Idol,’ and what the reality show has to offer. “I figure, personally, I’ve decided to be a musician for my life and career. It’s a pretty idealistic pursuit, given our society, to be an idealist all the way and play music that challenges me. Looking at it through those type of lenses, I get great satisfaction. We sustain as a business, but we hope to have music heard the way we’re hearing it,” said Levy. “With any band, there’s going to be people who are turned on and some that just aren’t. I think we do really well actually. We can go from playing one night to an older, intelligent crowd, and the next night, be in a ruckus bar, and it’s a whole different set of challenges. But pending on the audience, it forces us to play different, and that’s not a bad thing because it pushes us to play on grooves. It’s where we focus our attention, and the venues changing from night to night are good.”
