AVAILABLE NOW via SquarEast Records
Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist Joshua Kwassman
Confronts Human Weakness on Personal and
Societal Levels with
Sophomore Release, HEARTWORK -
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Joshua Kwassman -- HEARTWORK EPK
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The release of Joshua Kwassman's acclaimed debut album, Songs of the Brother Spirit,
heralded the arrival of an exciting and innovative new composer on the
modern jazz scene. Now, with his highly anticipated follow-up HEARTWORK
(Available May 26 via SquarEast Records), Kwassman takes a monumental
leap forward with a sweeping, deeply personal new work that incorporates
influences from jazz, classical, and rock music into a breathtaking
eight-part composition.
HEARTWORK also marks the evolution of his unusual ensemble, originally assembled to realize the multi-hued Songs of the Brother Spirit,
into a full-fledged band named after that debut. Brother Spirit has
become a versatile septet uniquely adept at realizing Kwassman's
ambitious musical imaginings. A native of Newington, Connecticut who
studied at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and New York
University, Kwassman has folded a wealth of influences and studies into
his stunningly cinematic compositions.
Where its predecessor looked back on the trials of growing up via a harrowing incident from the composer's childhood, HEARTWORK draws its inspiration from an equally personal but more mature source. As Kwassman describes, "HEARTWORK
tells a story of human weakness and the internal struggles that we all
face. It speaks of the weaknesses that befall us on individual and
societal levels; the conflicts we face in our daily lives between our
desires and human greed, and the force inside us and around us which
reminds us of our impact on our surroundings."
The
album's wide-ranging palette thus looks inward as well as outward, from
the introspective to the global, to explore the disappointments and
struggles of life in modern society. Its concerns range from the
day-to-day regrets of falling short of one's own expectations to the
calamitous impact of failing to act on the major issues facing the
planet itself.
"It
works on both a micro and macro level," Kwassman explains. "It deals
with things that were going on in my life, when I had to grapple with my
own weaknesses, but also relates to the things I see going on around
me. The overarching idea has to do with my own desire to be better for
myself and for the things that are happening in the world to be better
as well."
Upcoming Joshua Kwassman Performances:
June 6 / Discover Jazz Festival / Burlington, VT
June 16 / SubCulture / New York, NY
Joshua Kwassman · HEARTWORK
SquarEast Records · Release Date: May 26, 2015
For more information on JOSHUA KWASSMAN, please visit: JoshuaKwassman.com
For media information, please contact:
DL Media · 610-667-0501
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com
Serving the Finest in Jazz Since 1988
Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos
and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com
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