'Moon and its clouds always guiding me through a life of lives...'
(lyrics from 012)
'He wails in on alto sax, like a banshee trying to charm a cobra.'
Dan McClenaghan at allaboutjazz.com about Sha.
"R'n'B', Minimalfunk, Ambient", is Sha’s (*1983) answer to the question about influences on his music. Isa Wiss (vocals), Mik Keusen (piano), Thomas Tavano (bass) und Julian Sartorius (drums) have been working with him in his band Banryu since 2004 and with 'Chessboxing Volume One' are now presenting their first album. Sha conveys the meaning of the Japanese band name 'Banryu' as follows: "Banryu, the dragon ready for jumping, lets everything come up and roll by, while not loosing its tension and posture at any moment and ready to strike anytime..."
All the pieces of music were composed by Sha during the past few years, the lyrics of the first song being made up by Isa Wiss. They are titled with numbers only, and their poetic and energetic message unfolds with their sound, form and groove.
During the past years, Sha has gained a considerable amount of international experience playing bass and contrabass clarinets, especially with Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin but also with Mik Keusen’s Blau.
With his own band, he shows additional facets to his art of making music and plays more frequently alto sax and the Asian khen in addition to the bass clarinets.
With the description ’Volume One’, Sha announces, with that ironic seriousness typical of him, that musical chessboxing could become a future discipline.
Text: Kim Longin, Ronin Rhythm Records
International press about Sha:
“Sha takes alto saxophone solos of the most outspoken sort.“
Nils Jacobson www.popmatters.com USA
„Sha triitt mit seinen Soli wie ein Krieger aus dem Schatten hervor.“
Pirmin Bosshard NLZ
“Sha's bass clarinet haloed everything in mysterious ambient soundwashes“
Stuart Nicholson, The Observer UK
"Whenever the monosyllabically named Sha steps into the spotlight, the reed player evokes the modal improvisations of musicians like John Coltrane and Jan Garbarek."
Brent Burton, Washington City Paper USA
„There's no denying Banryu's uncanny nexus of the hypnotic and the booty-shaking... „Chessboxing Volume One“ is music that appeals to both hemispheres, creating its own union that can be taken on a purely instinctive level while providing plenty of grist for those who like their music as food for thought.“
John Kelman www.allaboutjazz.com
„Der Mittzwanziger Sha spielt bei Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin stoisch das Altosaxofon, die Bass- und die übermannsgrosse Kontrabassklarinette. Mit eigener Band dockt er an dem Konzept an, ohne Epigone zu sein, öffnet es für Vocals und hin zu einem breiteren, gar nicht beliebigen Spektrum.“
Ulrich Steinmetzger Leipziger Volkszeitung
"Un gruppo giovane che si fonda molto sulla plastica suduzione e una brillantamente indefinibile atmosfera d'insieme"
Romualdo Del Noce, SUONO
Order the CD at the webshop:
http://www.roninrhythmrecords.com/shop/
In the USA 'chessboxing volume one' is available via Wayside Music:
http://www.waysidemusic.com/
German distributor for 'chessboxing volume one': All My Music
http://www.amm.de/
photos by martin möll
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Ich hebe gerade wieder mal ab mit eurer Musik! die CD ist unglaublich schön!! freue mich auf die nächste!! und auf den Südpol gig besonders!! grüss die drachen
Hiya. :) It's NuM again with a new creation... The track's called Skeptical and recreates the reflexions of many in regard to religions nowadays. Please listen and enjoy, and if you have some time tell me what do you think about it. Comments are greatly appreciated.
ha... kennst du auch die solo-platte vom guten alten jon? blaze of glory heisst sie. ich leih' sie dir gerne mal aus. in diesem sinne: livin' on a prayer!
