CATALPA - Gus Till & Chika Asamoto : Eclectic Jazz

TriskelePR · June 1, 2011

CATALPA - Gus Till & Chika Asamoto (Les Vagues Records)

OUT NOW !!!!!

Catalpa is the stunning new album from the collaboration of japanese saxophonist Chika Asamoto and australian keyboardist/ producer Gus Till (aka Slinky Wizard / BUS / Zen Lemonade). Chika and Gus are both currently residents of the 'isle of the gods'- Bali, where they met and realized a common musical bond, leading to the creation of this album.

With the writing and pre-production beginning in Bali, the project was then moved to Oslo so further overdubs and musicians could be added at the legendary 'Rainbow Studios' with Jan Erik Konshaug at the engineering and mix helm.

The album is a unique pot-boiler of their life-long influences: from the electric turbulence of Bitches Brew period Miles Davis and prog rock uber-artists King Crimson, to the gentle ambient landscapes of Eno and the post-modern rock trappings of David Sylvian, all awash with the sophisticated jazz-stylings and eclecticism of european jazz and and the more tripped out psychedelic soundscapes of modern electronica.

A powerful album which they are taking out on the road with special live shows not to be missed!

''The power of sound to evoke has always been immense and always been with us".

Japanese Shamanism, with it's roots in the ancient past, has always placed special import on the ritual use of music - the beating of drums, the twanging of a bow made of catalpa wood and ritual chanting - a particular array of sounds, song and dance with the power to evoke curiosity in the spirit world, to cause spirits to breach the impenetrable barrier separating their world from ours.

Catalpa, with it's ability to strike and be struck, to be strummed as a bow and for it's delicate horn shaped flowers seemed a fitting symbol for our project.''- Gus Till & Chika Asamoto.

To hear samples click on tracknames

CD track listing:

01. On Angels Wings

02. Catalpa

03. The Pagan

04. Lotus

05. Collapsing Diamond

06. Cogs I

07. Cogs II

08. Cogs III

09. cogs IV

10. Tide