The Mask by Chris Karrer

Track 6. El Khahira El Kebira 14:41
is only downloadable with the complete album

Translation of the original notes...
With this mask, we want to make a monument to one of the most important artists of the progressive and world music scene: Chris Karrer, Ur-Düül and Co-founder of Amon Düül 2, master of the oud, guitar and violin, who has written an important chapter in rock. This present edition is a hand-made image of Chris. The integrated CD was recorded at the Burg Herzberg Festival 1996 and is available only in this edition.

The Think Progressive release was presented as a hand made 1000 numbered edition. The "mask" - actually a large wooden panel hand-carved in the orient - was certainly a novel collectable artefact. Each one was individually painted by Chris, and a totally impractical CD holder attached. The set came with disc (in a sleeve) along with a "certificate" in a C4 manila envelope. No one knows if the complete edition was made. And Chris himself gave the impression that he got fed-up with painting them.

Many thanks to Rainer Faust for re-introducing us to Chris Karrer and the idea for this reissue. After seeing an original advertised for some 600 Euro or so, Chris was convinced that an affordable reissue should be available to fans. So a deal was struck, and here is the result. As good as a recording as it was, I couldn't resist remastering it a little after extracting the disc to my editor. The original was mis-balanced and quiet by today's standards. Enhancing the recording also revealed some flaws, which I also repaired. So, here is this wonderful live recording in its pristine glory - Enjoy!

Well-known as the co-founder of Amon Düül II, Chris Karrer's multi-instrumental talents had always been a key factor of the AD2 sound, and ethnic music, Eastern tuning and World fusion elements were also key factors of their more creative works. In the late 1970's Chris tried his hand at being a pop star, which didn't work-out, so he re-indulged himself in the music of the East, North Africa and esoteric European cultures, coming up with his own new twist on world fusion. About this new diversion, here's what was said in The Crack In The Cosmic Egg "The much more recent DERVISH KISS comes after working with Popol Vuh, serving much time with Embryo, and working with the likes of Rabih Abou-Khalil. Aside from some occasional Amon Düül II and Embryo touches, it's so ethnic it barely sounds at all like a Chris Karrer album! It is superb nonetheless, and always a surprising album. When taken into context with his further solos, it proves to be the start of a new phase of innovative cross-culture styles, taken to more lively almost futuristic realms with SUFISTICATED (notable for the eccentric and lavishly rich arrangements) and then in a more free jamming context, as a superb live example of the uniquely Karrer fusion style on THE MASK."

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