The Countdown 2017 | The Kandinsky Effect

Warren Walker, Caleb Dollister, and Gael Petrina are The Kandinsky Effect. For 10 years, the trio has been refining their approach towards instrumental composition and production. Their music is multi-textural, adventurous, dark and rhythmic; it can be equally filled with risk and cohesion while navigating atypical time structures. Petrina and Walker’s appreciation for electronica inspires their methodical use of effect pedals to create lush dimensions of texture, and Dolister’s open admiration of heavier bands like Meshuggah or crossover projects like Jaga Jazzist often influences a rigor and attack in his drumming paired with polyrhythmic complexity.

Pax 6 is the inevitable evolution of 10 years of touring, recording, traveling, and living a life realized through the eyes of modern post jazz realization. The Kandinsky Effect know who they are and what they want to share. Pax 6 captures their visions of a dark, rhythmic landscape, and presents it carefully and intently. 

The Countdown 2017 | Chet Doxas

Rich in Symbols represents the culmination of years of experience in the intensely varied and dynamic career of saxophonist and composer, Chet Doxas. Based on his love of the visual arts, Rich in Symbols is inspired by the art movement of New York City’s Lower East Side between the years 1975-85. 

Chet has gathered together several of the most acclaimed musicians in modern music today including Matthew Stevens (guitar), Zack Lober (bass), 

Eric Doob(drums) and special guests, John Escreet on piano, multi-award winning trumpeter Dave Douglas and guitarist Dave Nugent to lend his definitive sound to several of the album's songs. Produced by Liam O'Neil(Kings of Leon, Metric, Broken Social Scene), Rich in Symbols keeps its feet planted firmly in the worlds of rock, jazz, improvised music and cinematic soundscapes.

With Rich in Symbols, Chet Doxas explores the world of transcendence and credits the listener by asking them what do paintings sound like?

The Countdown 2017 | White Dust

'I played cool, and hung out with the hardest bargains, and never copped a plea ... called Jim Crow out of his mansion in Waycross Georgia, taught him a lesson he'd never forget' 

Such is the poetry of Yusef Komunyakaa; powerful, hip, and compelling. Yusef speaks of an America we know, accompanied on White Dust by Mike Brown on bass and David Cieri on piano. The trio delivers a collection of Yusef's poetry with subtle improvisation, painting a solemn landscape of sadness and beauty, like a dream on a winter morning.

White Dust reaches into your mind and soul as if the players know your struggle, and are playing along to your story. One avid listener describes it this way: 'Walt Whitman meets Tom Waits on the corner of Africa and Alabama.'  Dig. 

The Countdown 2017 | Takashi Tsuzuki

It’s a familiar tale - a young (Japanese) boy is classically trainedfrom the age of seven, hears Paul McCartney at the age of thirteen and trades his violin for a Hofner bass. Thus begins the musical exploration that has been Takashi Tsuzuki’s life. Playing in a local band and frequenting the studio, Takashi delved into a mix of electronic and organic sounds.

Supporting his creative life through music creation and production for ad agencies and movies, Takashi continued to create his own music for the world. Embraced first in Europe by DJ Nick Luscombe at XFM, and then by EU label HAL9000, Takashi’s music was picked up by Ropeadope for his US debut, Monophonic Multiphonic (2010)

But these are trying times for musicians, and Takashi returned to commercial music and dropped his efforts to create his own music.

March 11, 2011 - We all watch in disbelief of video footage of the most devastating tsunami to hit Japan. In Takashi’s words:

““March 11th 2011 so many things got swiped away. Each day felt like a helpless journey through a  tunnel with no sight of tomorrow. but time just kept on ticking. I was at the verge of desperation when an email turned up, “i saw the news. couldn’t believe my eyes. are you ok takashi ? if there’s anything i can do just let me know.” It was from a producer Ropeadope, and his words gave me the courage to pull myself together. I started working on my originals only to respond to his kind words.””

In 2015 Takashi brought two records to the world - From Japan and From Tokyo. Collections of his work to date, both albums were distinct yet cohesive - one could feel the life of the artist developing. In the days since, Takashi runs the Seiko booth at Basel World, and composes music for Seiko and other commercials. In early 2017 he sent out the word to Ropeadope that another project was on the way - this time he's pushing into more melody and groove. An introduction to Atlanta Records NiA, aka Tomoko Nagashima, began the first vocal recordings of Takashi's career. And now we present It's Not Fair, the next step in the development of Takashi Tsuzuki