Audio Magazine (12/92, p.162) - "...Trans-cultural fusions are becoming the norm, but few artists are working the territories with the experience or grace of Jai Uttal...Uttal is creating a fusion unimagined in the days of raga-rock..."
Personnel: Jai Uttal (vocals, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, harmonium, dotar, gopichand, sarod, gubgubbi, kartals, percussion, samples, programming); Mala Ganguly (vocals); Will Bernard (guitar, mandolin, samples); Charlie Burnham (violin); Steve Gorn (bansuri); Peck Allmond (soprano saxophone, cornet, trumpet); Rob Vlack (piano, accordion, Hammond organ, synthesizer); Bruce Linde (bass, acoustic guitar, samples); Tom Brechtlien (drums); Peter Apfelbaum (drums, percussion, soprano saxophone, qarqabas); Geoffrey Gordon (dholak, dumbek, frame drum, bongo, percussion); Daniel Paul Karp (tabla); Tamiya Lynn (background vocals).
Recorded at Studio 56, Hollywood, California in March, 1992.
Jai Uttal followed up his successful debut album with MONKEY, a much jazzier affair. Still steeped in traditional Indian folk music, Uttal experiments with vocals (his own this time, rather than a guest singer), synthesizers, and a smooth-jazz feel. It all comes together beautifully on "I Won't Ask for More," a heartfelt trance dirge that's half-chanted/half-sung to a backing of slinky Indian percussion.