NEW RELEASES: ROB GARCIA - THE PASSION OF COLOR; KENTO MASUDA – LOVED ONE; JASON AJEMIAN - FOLKLORDS

ROB GARCIA - THE PASSION OF COLOR

Garcia has released four critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader, including Perennial (BJUR 012), voted one of the "10 Best Jazz Albums of 2009" by The New York Observer, and the critically acclaimed The Drop And The Ocean (BJUR 028). His group has performed at venues such as The Ottawa Jazz Festival, Iridium, Kitano, Smalls, The Rex, Cornelia Street Cafe and Firehouse 12. Garcia has also been the recipient of grants from Meet The Composer, DCA and NYSCA to support his performances. Now, on his brilliant fifth album, The Passion of Color, Garcia offers listeners yet another gem from his working group, The Rob Garcia 4 (formed in 2009), featuring Noah Preminger (tenor saxophone), Dan Tepfer (piano) and Joe Martin (bass). The Passion Of Color features music inspired by impressionist paintings & music (such as Van Gogh and Debussy), and the passion that is evoked from the vast variety of colors and flavors of life found in works such as Lines In Impressions, Purple Brush and the title track. The Garden's Poet was born out of a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago where, "I saw and fell in love with the Van Gogh painting 'The Poet's Garden', explained Garcia. The Painter is a drum solo piece dedicated to Max Roach. Garcia elaborates, "Max has always been a strong influence and a huge inspiration, and I once heard Dizzy Gillespie refer to Max as 'The Painter'". Also on the album is Roach's composition, It's Time. The album concludes with the band's take on the Jimi Hendrix's classic, Little Wing. The music on The Passion of Color is characterized by rhythms that create the illusion of a fluctuating tempo or no tempo, while tightly orchestrated musical events happen in tandem. Strong melodies supported by pastoral harmonies and flowing rhythm lead the listener through the music. ~ www.Robgarcia.com  

KENTO MASUDA – LOVED ONE

The long-awaited seventh CD of internationally acclaimed artist Kento Masuda, “Loved One”, was released on April 16, 2014. Produced by Kento Masuda and Gary Vandy, “Loved One” traces Kento’s musical journey while introducing a compelling spectrum of genres. Through the compositions featured in his new CD, Kento continues to define his individual and unique genre of music. These songs illuminate Kento’s versatility and his transition from solo piano compositions (featured on his last CD “All in the Silence”), towards a diverse sound which includes mixed musical styles and unique orchestrations. “Loved One” was recorded at Gary Vandy’s Studio Center in Miami, which has produced recordings that have won 8 Grammy awards along with multiple platinum albums. Gary Vandy’s expertise has been reflected in his successful career of working with top label artists and producers. After working on the production of Kento’s “Loved One,” Gary Vandy stated, “Kento Masuda is one of this world’s artistic treasures. His music is at once sonically spiritual and visually expressive. You can literally see his music. The blend of smooth melodies and rhythmic grooves transports the listener to an environment that allows them to participate in his sculpture of sound.” Stellar musicians Paul Messina (Flashpoint) and Kevin Marcus Sylvester (Black Violin) add their own brilliant renderings on selected songs. ~ kentomasuda.com 

JASON AJEMIAN - FOLKLORDS

One of the trippiest albums we've heard from Delmark in recent years – a really creative session from bassist Jason Ajemian, and one that links the label's avant jazz work to some of the deeper sides of Chicago's indie scene! Ajemian is free to work without any sense of genre or convention – in a mode that still hits plenty of jazz, with key use of work by Monk, Mingus, and Sun Ra – but which really abstracts things and takes them to a whole new level – opening up cosmic territory that lives up to the album's stated request to "Please Feel Yourselves". Ajemian plays bass and some electronics, in a quartet that also features Owen Stewart Robertson on guitar and electronics, Kid Bliss on alto sax and vibrolux, and Jason Nazary on drums – the last of which are played in a very slow, spacious style. All tracks are long – and titles include "Ask Mr Blunt Now" – which features extrapolations of "Satellites Are Spinning" and "Ask Me Now" – and "Orange Is The Color Of The Sun Then Blue Sky" – which is built upon some key Charles Mingus tunes. Other titles are originals, and include "Punk The Blues", "Material Girls", and "Freedom Is A Trail Of Tears". ~ Dusty Groove