The Haas Company Vol 3 – Song for Mimi Featuring Samuel Hallkvist (Psychiatric Records and Tapes, 2025) (Psychiatric Records and Tapes, 2025)
In a remarkably short span of time, The Haas Company has quietly built one of the most compelling catalogs in modern progressive jazz-rock. Each release feels like a gift, consistently mixing adventurous compositions with an impressive roster of guest artists. On Volume 3: Song for Mimi, the ensemble enlists Swedish guitar maverick Samuel Hallkvist, whose presence pushes the music further into cutting edge 21st century fusion.
What sets The Haas Company apart is its unapologetically electric fusion core. Here, electric guitars, synths, and soaring electric violins aren’t just part of the palette, they are the centerpiece. At the helm, drummer Steve Haas joins forces once again with composer and keyboardist Pete Drungle, crafting a sound that is fearlessly original, full of stellar solos, dynamic back-and-forth exchanges and deeply enthralling.
Indeed, Haas continues to reveal himself as a remarkably inventive drummer. He never settles for the obvious, instead bending rhythms into unexpected and often exhilarating shapes. Complementing him, Drungle takes command of an array of keyboards, though it is his synthesizer work that truly dazzles. Time and again, he reminds us that synths, when in the right hands, can be instruments of profound beauty and wonder.
Naturally, the guest list is stellar. Leading the charge is Samuel Hallkvist, whose unconventional guitar vocabulary adds tension and grace in equal measure. His phrasing is never merely ornamental; instead, he pulls fresh, surprising sounds from his instrument, yet never loses sight of taste and musicality.
The electric violin duties are split between two distinct voices. On one hand, there is Jerry Goodman, an icon whose unmistakable style elevates two fantastic tracks. On the other, Nicolas Draps, a promising Belgian violinist, brings a youthful energy and fresh perspective to the project.
Rounding out the ensemble are bassists Guy Pratt and Kirwan Brown, who sculpt bass lines that are anything but static. Their lines feel alive, fluid, shifting, and brimming with character.
Musicians: Steve Haas, drums, executive producer; Pete Drungle, Fender Rhodes, Moog Odyssey, Mini Moog, various synths, acoustic piano, composer/producer; Samuel Hallkvist on electric & acoustic guitar; Sean Lennon on guitar & atmospheres; Guy Prat on bass; Kirwan Brown on bass; Todd Reynolds on violin; Nicholas Draps on electric violin; Jerry Goodman on electric violin; Scott Tixler on violin; Robert Wechsler on violin; and Mark Feldman on violin.