Zenhouse

Personnel includes: Jonas Hellborg (acoustic bass); Shawn Lane (acoustic guitar); Sipe (bongos, cymbals, percussion, bells).
Recorded in Sweden.
Personnel: Shawn Lane (acoustic guitar); Jeff Sipe (drums).
Audio Mixer: Scud Noonan.
Recording information: Ragnarpers Gärsnäs.
Swedish bass player Jonas Hellborg and American guitarist Shawn Hellborg have worked together in a variety of settings since the mid-'90s. On ZENHOUSE, the percussionist Apt. Q-258 (who first became noticeable--and how could he not be with a moniker as fine as that?--with Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit) joins the acoustic duo.
ZENHOUSE was recorded live before a small audience at an art gallery in Southern Sweden. The four improvisational pieces are built on the characteristic musical personalities and tonalities of each of the players. The modal nature of the music allows fluid entry points for soloing as well as for quickly responsive interplay. Hellborg's chosen instrument is an acoustic double-neck bass guitar and his approach straddles the world of the bass and the guitar, at times making his and Lane's playing sound like it's all coming from one enormous warm and richly wooden resonator.