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Sha
'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
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/
Gear
Alto Sax Horn: Conn Ladyface 6M Mouthpiece: Pomarico Reeds: Vandoren Java Bass Clarinet Horn: LeBlanc Mouthpiece: Selmer Reeds: Vandoren Java Contrabass Clarinet Horn: Leblanc Mouthpiece: LeBlanc Reeds: Vandoren
Tags
Sha: Monbijou
![Read "Monbijou" reviewed by Mike Jacobs](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/large/1534a47a8dd56452a49e6fa0448f507b.jpg)
by Mike Jacobs
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![Read "Chessboxing Volume One" reviewed by John Kelman](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/2008/shasbanryu.jpg)
by John Kelman
With a group possessing as strong and unique an identity as Swiss pianist Nik Bartsch's Ronin--heard most recently on the remarkable Holon (ECM, 2008) and in performance in Kristiansand, Norway at Punkt 08--It's not surprising that the debut album by its reedman Sha possesses many of the same characteristics. Ronin, after all, is more than just a group; it's a musical philosophy combining minimalist tendencies with deep grooves and improvisation so subtle that it's at a near subconscious level. Chessboxing ...
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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Source:
MAD Ink PR
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Shai Jaschek
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All About Jazz
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Michael Ricci
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Source:
William James
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Source:
James Keepnews
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“Sha brillierte durch ein klanglich stupendes Solo auf der imposanten Kontrabass-Klarinette.“ Ueli Bernays NZZ CH
“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
"Multi-reedist Sha is essential to the Ronin experience
Primary Instrument
Clarinet
Location
Zurich