A commonly held philosophy within the jam arena is that musicians are only as good as the people they play with. Yet the jazz fusion/ jam-rock heavyweights of Garaj Mahal have always been able to stand on their own two feet.

Since first coming together back in 2000, Garaj Mahal has emerged as one the foremost trailblazers in the experimental free jazz circuit. An incomparable supergroup of first class musicians from around the world, the band incorporates an array of diverse musical styles ranging from Latin, jazz, funk and calypso into a soulfully eclectic musical jambalaya. The band is set to bring its dizzying live set Thursday to Shank Hall.

Garaj Mahal formed out of the vision of drummer Alan Hertz. After the disbandment of his previous band, San Francisco jam stalwarts KVHW, Hertz met guitarist Fareed Haque through a mutual friend. From there the two recruited bassist Kai Eckhardt and keyboardist Eric Levy, and Garaj Mahal was born. Since then the band has won a dedicated following around the globe through its flair for otherworldly improvisation and borderline sinful experimentation.

The band released its debut record, Mondo Garaj, in 2003. Comprised of a collection of early recordings from back in 2000, Mondo Garaj highlights the band's taste for stripped down grooves and uninhibited freeform jazz.

Then again, these guys aren't hacks, but rather some of the best musicians the scene has to offer. Haque is widely recognized as one of the finest classical guitarists in music. Eckhardt studied at the Berklee College of Music, performing bass with legends such as Bob Moses and Tiger's Baku while still a student. Levy studied under Haque at Northern Illinois University, while Kertz, 30, began playing music at the unspeakable age of 2. To say the individual members are well versed in their respective craft is an epic understatement.

Yet musical intuition is only half the equation for what makes Garaj Mahal the driving force it is in the music world. The band's experiences with other cultures isn't limited purely to a knowledge of different types of music, but also comes by way of a thoroughly expansive worldview unmatched by many peers. Haque grew accustomed to traveling extensively from a young age, spending stretches of time growing up in countries as diverse as Spain, Iran and Chile, while Eckhardt also grew up around the globe, balancing his formative years between time spent in Germany and West Africa.

There's no doubt about it that the guys have been around, and their music does more than sufficient justice toward proving it. In this band, "diverse" isn't just an ample word used to describe its unrestrained music savvy, but something that plays a fundamental and intricate role in the lives of each of its members. The members of Garaj Mahal play world-influenced jam rock better than anyone out there today.

Garaj Mahal plays at 8 p.m. today at Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. Tickets are $15. More information is available by calling 276-7288 or at www.shankhall.com.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Dec. 2 2004.