Interview with Jonas Reingold about his new Karma Kanic project

Can you first tell us a little about each of your band and why you chose them for this project?

Jonas: When I worked with Goran Edman on my REINGOLD Universe album I discovered that he was really into proggy stuff as well, so it was natural for me to give him a call when the material for Karma Kanic was ready to record. Goran is on top of the field, one of the finest in Sweden and he's also a really nice guy. And for the first track "Entering the spectra" I just had to have Roine (Stolt) on vocals and guitar. Simply cause this track suits him perfectly.  He's bringing the music to life just by hitting a chord or singing a note. He's blessed with this "I touch your heart" thing and that alone ranks him among the greats. Tomas (Bodin) is a genius when it comes to sonic landscapes, no one on this planet can catch the right feeling better then him. He helped me out when I got stuck in conventional solutions.
Jaime is a very good Rock drummer and I think we can lock in very good together. And I chose Zoltan on the opener because his tune is very dynamic and changes vibe all the time, it goes from The Beatles to hard core Jazz to Zappa to the Flower Kings, and Zoltan is handling this perfectly. Robert Ensgstrand is a very talented player, he has perfect timing and he's a very funny guy. Call Robert and you will laugh for hours. When he's in the studio things are not getting heavy and boring, he’s got a happy spirit and he's lending pieces of it to all of us. Johan the guitarist is one of the best studio guys you can hire in Sweden. He listens to a song once and then playing it perfectly, and he's got a big knowledge about sounds and different tuning and stuff.

Was it difficult to get them all together?

Jonas: No, the modern way of recording is to send audio files all around the globe.  Almost everyone today owns recording  equipment, you just need a PC or a MAC, a music program and a sound card. Then you're rolling. This album was recorded that way.

How about the name for the band and album title. Where did this come from?

Jonas: I had this competition on Flower Power and 150 different alternatives came up. So I picked Karma Kanic because it sounded and looked good and has a play of words in it, you know 'Car Mechanic'....

You have been engaged in a wide range of musical projects from the Metal of Midnight Sun to the Progressive Rock of the Flower Kings right through to the more mainstream Jazz world of The Swedish Bass Orchestra. So the question is where do we find the real Jonas Reingold?

Jonas: I think that's the real Jonas Reingold that you just  described. I allow myself to jump from one style to another. I can find the similarity in food, its boring to just eat Chinese food all the time, its the same thing with music, paintings, colours, everything. As long its good it's good. You will always see the real me when I'm up there, playing my heart out.
But sometimes I have to admit I'm just in it for the money  - you know I got a family to support and its very expensive with diapers ;-)

Why did you choose to play the bass instead of guitar / keyboards etc. What was the appeal?

Jonas: I played guitar from the start and switched to bass when I substituted for a bass player for a summer gig. They were so happy with my performance so they offered me the spot. In the same period I discovered Jaco (Pastorious) and he turned my world upside down. I started to practice and become a bass player instead of a guitarist.

Who are you main influences both in the past and current and why?

Jonas: As I said earlier I listened a lot to Jaco especially the Weather Report period. I listened a lot to Classical music, Yngwie Malmsteen, KISS, Iron Maiden when I was a kid. Later on I had my Jazz period, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis. Right now I'm really into King Crimson. I listening a lot to the Red album, it's brilliant. I think this is when the 70's progressive music was at its best.

If you were allowed to record a money no object album with no considerations to 'commercial sales' what would it sound like? Or is 'Entering the Spectra' it?

Jonas: If that were the case I would use a symphony orchestra and a big symphonic choir together with a rock group. I would probably write something similar to "Entering the spectra" but even more bombastic. It would also be nice to record something for fretless bass and symphony orchestra.

This new album does appear to have all your various 'rock' influences in one place. Would you say this is your best project to date?

Jonas: I have not written my best album yet, and I will probably never write it either. But I rank this CD quite high. I think there are some qualitative songs on it together with a good production, so I'm very pleased with the result.

Is the whole album written by you? If not - who else contributed?

Jonas: The music is 100% written by me. I wrote the lyrics to 80%. Patrik Larsson, a good friend since 10 years back, wrote the rest.

Can we run through the album track by track, It starts with what appears to be the introduction to some concept holding the album together. Something about dreams - the net and the listener. Is there a concept and how do you see this?

Jonas: It's kind of a concept album. It's about this common guy who's living an ordinary and boring life and seeks the adventure on the net. People often seek places or happenings that distracts their mind from the reality. It's about trying to catch the day not living in the past or present. I could talk about this for a long time, but then I writing a book instead of a record, so I'm letting the listener create his or her own vision regarding the message.

How would you describe the various tracks?

Entering The Spectra

Jonas: Around 15 minutes long, starts in a very slow tempo with classical choir and fretless bass. The next section is in odd meters 7/8 6/8 think ELP distorted bass, Hammond organ by Thomas, Jazz-Rock drumming by Zoltan and fills by Roine on guitar. The next section is the song part witch is sung by Roine, a lot of Beatles vibe into this part, mellotron, optigan, acoustic guitars and big vocal arrangements finish this section and leads into a total freaked out part in 7/8 which leads into a long Jazzy section that ends in a kind of Zappa vibe arrangement. Big vocals arr. again and into the final part which is very Flower Kings’ish in the harmony and melody structure. It all ends up very big and bombastic.

Have to say that this track sounds almost like TFK under the direction of Reingold instead of Roine. Do you see it that way?

Jonas: I don't really see it that way. I just tried to write a good tune and it ended up like this. And of course it sounds like the Kings cause it's the Kings who performs it.

Does Roine make a good session vocal/guitarist rather than band leader?

Jonas: Roine is doing he's job fine. I think Roine has a strong identity and its difficult to make him sound in a different way and that's good because hes not a session player in that way, you have to make some space for him, let him create his own environment, but if you let him do that hes a great musician.

Was it strange working with him that way?

Jonas: No, cause I think the song was perfect for Roine, he just plugged in and did his own thing. It’s only difficult if you're not speaking the same language.

The Spirit Remains The Same

Jonas: Around 7 minutes long, a mellow song with very good vocals sung by Goran Edman (Yngvie Malmsteen, Nostradamus). A bass solo in the middle section, a nice song where the focus is in the songwriting. Jaime plays drums on this one.

Now to me this is the albums stand out track. Im very impressed by the vocal work of Groran in this track and in particular the later 'Is This It'. However I'm sure I detect another vocalist here who sounds just like Daniel from Pain Of Salvation? And its Pain of Salvation that I can most liken this track to - Highly melodic but definitely from the Progressive Metal school. Has that band or perhaps Dream Theater been an influence?

Jonas: Actually its Goran all the way on this tune. Goran has such a flexibility to change sound and approach.
I like Pain of Salvation very much they are also friends of mine, but I must say that I didn't have the group in mind when I wrote the song. I think the similarities are the harmony structure, a dark mood in minor, which is very common in POS music.

The thing that really makes this particular song for me is the use of the 'throat singer' sampled 'rhythmic vocals'. They sound similar to the samples of TFK's last album 'The Rainmaker' perhaps from the same sessions? Can you tell me more about this?

Jonas: The throat singer is actually a sampled aborigine I find on a sample CD a long time ago and she's perfect - she creates a perfect modus for the song.

Cyberdust From Mars

Jonas: Around 4 minutes long. Roine is singing this one and plays the guitar. A weird song with spaced out soundscapes from Tomas. Jaime is playing the drums.

One Whole Half

Jonas: A re-recorded version in a "Return to Forever" kind of way. A lot of Jazz rock ala 70 ties in this one.  A burning guitar solo from my old buddy Chris Palm. Jaime on drums on this one.

What’s the story of the two different versions?

Jonas: I just liked the tune and wanted to do something more Jazzy of it. I wrote a new section and recorded a new bass solo and had a guitar solo instead of the piano solo.

I know that the version of this track from the bonus CD of 'Rainmaker' has become a firm favorite with a lot of the TFK audience.  Could it ever become part of TFK's live set?

Jonas: Well if it all works out in rehearsals I think we are going to play it live on the US tour in April.

Space Race No. 3

Jonas: It’s a nice Rock tune with Heavy riffs on the guitars played by Johan Glossner. Goran is singing this one. Think Kings X with a Mellotron and you will be close. Robert Engstrand is handling the keys.

The Man In The Moon

Jonas: John Lee Hooker goes American horror movies from the 50ies. A Rock tune with a weird vibe. Sung by Goran, Jaime on drums Thomas on Moog Thermin.

Cello Suite "Johan Sebastian Bach"

Jonas: My own interpretation of this old 'Prog classic'.

An interesting choice and already a firm live favourite. How difficult is it transcribing a classical piece like this for electric bass?

Jonas: It's kind of tricky because it’s written for cello and the cello is tuned in fifths instead of fourths.  The bass is tuned in fourths so some positions getting difficult to play.

Is Bach a particular 'Classical' favourite?

Jonas: Bach is a true genius; it's rare to hear music that is perfect. 'AIR' for example is pure perfection; it has this Yin and Yang thing. Treble V’s bass in perfect harmony, tension and release, black and white. You can't get closer to God then this. Something higher then mankind has touch this piece of music period…

Is This It?

Jonas: Around 10-12 minutes long. A big finale. I wrote this when I was in my "Waters, Amused To Death" period. A good song to close the album with. Very good Piano playing by Robert Engstrand, and Goran is really showing everyone that he can sing not only Metal stuff.

Now this is where Goren really scores sounding like a cross between George Michael and Roger Waters and somehow it works! You almost have created a 'Prog' track that your girlfriend could listen to  ;-) and perhaps that's the point?

Jonas: Ha Ha, - NO - that's the point. The song is about dying and the guy reflects on his life and the meaningless struggle he had on planet earth. Not a such good subject for a romantic dinner with your girlfriend...;-)

You mentioned that you had some bonus tracks that you will possibly add to the album. Can you tell us more?

Jonas: Well nothing is decided yet an the release date isn’t expected to be until late summer but at present the plans are that European version will have one bonus track and the Japanese another one. The European version will have a song called ‘Welcome To Paradise’. Its an 10 minutes long progressive piece. And I am singing a couple of lines on the song. I am the cyber virus and I'm doing a duet with Goran who is the good fairy. That alone is worth the price of the disc - ha ha ha…;-)

So what lies in the future for Karma Kanic - Is this a one off project or the just the start?

Jonas: Hopefully we will play live with the band. We are working on a couple of dates right now.

So now that you teased us all with the albums contents when can we expect to hear this masterwork?

Jonas: Well the release date is release date is not 100% confirmed yet but we are speaking of late Aug/Sep – the aim is actually a European release date of the 26th August. The label is  ‘Regain Records’ This is a small but very nice label, with distribution by Sony in Germany and Suburban in Holland, so I think the record should have a similar distribution to Flower Kings albums. And of course by that time lets hope we can sell it on-line via the Flower Power site.

Thanks Jonas

Jonas: That’s OK - All the bass - Jonas