MP3 Hannes De Kassian Quartet - Sensa

Strongly rooted in jazz and funk, the music of Hannes De Kassian reveals both European influences and vivid impressions of life in New York, fusing structure and improvisation into a harmonic whole.

9 MP3 Songs in this album (50:48) !
Related styles: JAZZ: Jazz Fusion, JAZZ: Jazz-Funk

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Details:
Hannes De Kassian Quartet âSensaâ

Hannes De Kassian - guitar, composition
Jim Seeley - trumpet
Gene Torres - bass
Robert Castelli - drums

The New York Times:

"On â¦'Sensa,' the Hannes De Kassian Quartet indulges in moody jazz, alternately sprinkling its deep-lounge compositions with funky meters and pealing guitar riffs."

Cadence Jazz Review:

âThe musicâ¦is firmly rooted in a Fusion-fueled groove. Wah-wah pedal and slap bass are key ingredients in De Kassian's musical casserole ⦠(and) integral to his sound are the judicious use of guitar effects and a heady enthusiasm for rock-inflected lines.â

Released in 1999, Hannes De Kassianâs first CD "Sensa" was also recognized by the Belgium magazine "Jazz'halo" in their New Recording listings and received airplay on Mr. Gilles Boudry's program "My Favorite Things" on the French station Radio Cite Vaubans.

All compositions by Hannes De Kassian

Produced by Hannes De Kassian

Cover Design by Georg Egger

Background & Influences

Born in Innsbruck, Austria in 1964, Hannes De Kassian began his classical and jazz guitar studies at age 11, and in his early 20s began studying at the prestigious Musikhochschule Graz (Music University) in Austria. There, in the late 80âs, he studied with the master guitarist Harry Pepl, who continues to be a significant influence and inspiration in his current work. De Kassianâs vision is also informed by a uniquely Austrian musical sensibilityâas he explains, âIn Austria, I was first surrounded by classical and folk music and then I branched out into jazz and improvised music. I try to go back to the roots to bring it forward.â
Since 1990, De Kassian has made New York City his home, and this has greatly influenced his musical direction. He says, âWe all come [to New York] for different reasons and then you realize thereâs a different energy here than anywhere else on the planet. Itâs the dream of a lot of musicians to come here, but the city chews you up and spits you out if you donât know what youâre doing. If youâre not passionate about your art, you will end up not doing it. Musically, being in New York opened a whole new world for me.â

New York is also where De Kassian met a seminal musical partner â the bassist Gene Torres, whose friendship, both musical and personal, has been essential to De Kassianâs growth. âWe met by chance,â De Kassian recollects. âIn the mid-90âs, I hired a bass player who had to leave to go on tour and he gave the gig to Gene. Weâve been friends ever since. He has a unique sound and style â playing a six string bass with his thumb (Wes Montgomery style). The six string also gives him a wider harmonic range and that bottom-end funk sound, which has been an essential component in my music.â

Other Releases:

Hannes De Kassian Trio "Live in Austria," with Gene Torres (bass) and Robert Castelli (drums) was a live CD recorded from the bandâs 2002 Austrian Tour, and in 2004 and 2005, the Trio returned again to Austria, filming a live performance with interviews by Puluj Filmproduktion at the Blues Bakery in Linz.

Other recorded works are Hannes De Kassian "6ix," a Solo Guitar Project.

In his most recent release, Hannes De Kassian Trio â3â, the harmonically rich âStrangerâs Gateâ is a portent to his next project, an acoustic/electric duo with Gene Torres.