Tommy T — The Prester John Sessions

Gogol Bordello bassist Tommy T's (real name Thomas Gobena) first solo album is based on the legend of Prester John, a king who medieval Europeans believed once ruled a Christian kingdom somewhere in "the Orient."

At first it was thought he lived in India, but later Europeans came to hypothesize that his kingdom had been in Ethiopia. Many expeditions were sent to find his lost kingdom and uncover its riches and culture, but it was ultimately never found.

The Prester John Sessions mixes Ethiopian music (Gobena was born in Ethiopia) with the musics of Europe and North America. Gobena blends jazz, funk, dub and reggae with traditional Ethiopian and east African music.

The album's liner notes are also filled with explanations about the historical background of some of the references in the songs and various Ethiopian instruments and musical ideas found within The Prester John Sessions.

That ultimately makes The Prester John Sessions engaging and interesting. Stoners, take note: it's an album to listen to with your headphones on so you can get lost in the music and not do much else.

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