Catalpa is the stunning new album from the collaboration of japanese saxophonist Chika Asamoto and australian keyboardist/ producer Gus Till.
Chika and Gus are both currentlyresidents of the 'isle of the gods'- Bali, where they met and realizeda common musical bond, leading to the creation of this album.
With the writing and pre-production beginning in Bali, the project wasthen moved to Oslo so further overdubs and musicians could be added atthe legendary 'Rainbow Studios' with Jan Erik Konshaug at theengineering and mix helm.
The album is a unique pot-boiler of their life-long influences: fromthe electric turbulence of Bitches Brew period Miles Davis and progrock uber-artists King Crimson, to the gentle ambient landscapes of Enoand the post-modern rock trappings of David Sylvian, all awash with thesophisticated jazz-stylings and eclecticism of european jazz and andthe 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 alwaysplaced special import on the ritual use of music - the beating of drums,the twanging of a bow made of catalpa wood and ritual chanting - aparticular array of sounds, song and dance with the power to evokecuriosity in the spirit world, to cause spirits to breach theimpenetrable barrier separating their world from ours.
Catalpa, with it's ability to strike and be struck, to be strummed as abow and for it's delicate horn shaped flowers seemed a fitting symbolfor our project.''- Gus Till & Chika Asamoto.
