Jon Gagan, the bass engine for Luna Negra brings forth his solo debut TRANSIT on SSRI.

The disc features 13 new compositions from Gagan, whose signature bass sound is familiar to the millions of Ottmar Liebert fans worldwide.

"I became inspired to write music fusing the Luna Negra experience with the jazz in my background" says Gagan. "I've always been interested in exploring new sounds , and this disc gave me a chance to do just that."

With assistance from Liebert as production supervisor and guest appearances by Luna Negra alumni – TRANSIT takes a step into new musical territory.

Transit can be purchased online from the Lunanegra merchandise store.

“A musical and creative work that features Gagan’s fluid style and distinctive bass sound”

- Mark Egan, bassist with Pat Metheny and Joan Osborn

BIOGRAPHY

Largely self taught, Gagan began playing bass at the age of thirteen. Early influences included the Beatles and Pink Floyd. At fourteen he discovered jazz and began expanding his musical aspirations. By 16 he had developed a reputation as a youngster who could hold his own professionally, and was soon in demand for all manner of bass work.

After high school Gagan supported himself as a bass player, working 6 or 7 nights a week, all the while devoting himself to the study of music theory and hours of bass practice daily. Along the way, his composing, piano and arranging abilities were also being developed. He used his record collection as his "institute of higher learning". He studied the bass masters- Paul Chambers, Jaco Pastorius, Ray Brown et al-and transcribed solos by jazz horn giants such as Miles, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker.

During this period Gagan also took to dissecting scores by Debussy, Ravel and Faure, composers who's work he felt possessed a certain ethereal quality he wished to emulate.

Ottmar Liebert discovered Gagan playing in a Santa Fe club in 1988. Liebert was preparing to begin work on his now famous "Nouveau Flamenco" album and felt that Jon's fretless sound would fit his musical vision. Gagan entered the studio with Ottmar soon after, and classic bass tracks such as those on "Heart Still/Beating", "Passing Storm" and "Surrender 2 Love" were recorded. The runaway success of the album led to extensive touring and numerous subsequent recordings.

With the release of TRANSIT, Liebert and Gagan add a new chapter to their shared musical history.

 

  

Release Date: 3/16/04

Label: SSRI
Catalog no. 902005

Producer: Jon Gagan (Ottmar Liebert production supervisor

Engineers: Bill Boaz, Scott Cadenasso, Jon Gagan

Studios: 4th World, Joots, Spiral Subwave, Electric Company in Santa Fe NM

Recording Medium: Digital

Mixing Medium: CD-R

Mastering: Digital, at Electric Company, Santa Fe NM
 
TRACK LISTING

B O N U S   M U S I C . . .
14. Border to Border ("Bonus A") > download mp3
> stream mp3
> stream real audio		    
15. River Idol ("Bonus B") > download mp3
> stream mp3
> stream real audio		    
  

REVIEW

Culture Court says of the CD “The arrangements are sophisticated, yet never weird and elitist. Very much an album of layers, the way the sound is mixed in subtle instrumental ladders [those unisons... vibes-bass, Rhodes-bass, synth-bass, slide guitar-bass, etc.]... with great spatial imaging. Tradition and innovation, structure and improv...

The album opens with the track aptly titled ”Departure” a medium tempo groove with the melodic hook played by Gagan’s bass. “I like to think that this track is an invitation to movement-whether across the world, across the floor, or across the mind” says Gagan.

Track 2 is “Point B”, an ethereal melody over a driving Afro/Cuban style rhythm section, followed by “New Horizon” a funk rumba featuring the trademark rhythm guitar work of Ottmar Liebert, and a soulful Rhodes solo from pianist Bert Dalton. “New Horizon is actually an update of a song Ottmar and I used to jam on back in 1989. It was a bit of a bass feature in some of our earliest shows.”

“Right Into Springtime” is an atmospheric Bossa Nova featuring Luna Negra saxophonist Kanoa Kaluhiwa.

Other songs on the disc include “Rowe Mesa” - a soundscape consisting of multi-tracked fretless bass, keyboards and percussion; “Blues at Dawn’ which has the feel of a jazz band going on a space voyage, and “Desert Return” the most Flamenco influenced track.

“One of my favorite albums to do with Ottmar was “The Hours between Night + Day”, says Gagan. “We virtually lived in the studio for the duration of the production and did a lot of experimenting. I remember having the sensation that we weren’t confined by genre- we were not attempting to make “Flamenco” albums or “Jazz” albums- we were simply making music. I found this very liberating, and I wanted to bring that feeling to the making of “Transit”

MUSICIANS

DEPARTURE
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Michael Chavez- drums, bongos, shaker
Mark Clark- octabans
JG- upright bass, electric bass, synth.

POINT B
Calvin Hazen- flamenco guitar
Bert Dalton- organ
Chris Allen - vibes
Michael Chavez- bongos
Mark Clark-toms
David Bryant-djembe,djun-djun, cowbell, shakers, talking drum, shikere
JG- electric bass, Rhodes piano, synth.

NEW HORIZON
Ottmar Liebert- flamenco guitar
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Tim Gagan- lap steel guitar
Chris Allen - vibes
Michael Chavez- tambourine, shaker
Mark Clark- cymbals
JG-electric bass, synth.

LINGUO
Ottmar Liebert- flamenco guitar
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Andy Poling- drums
Andy Potter- congas, bongos, repique de mau, shaker
JG- electric bass, synth.,saz

RIGHT INTO SPRINGTIME
Chris Allen-vibes
Calvin Hazen- flamenco guitar
Kanoa Kaluhiwa- tenor saxophone
Lewis Winn- electric guitar
Michael Chavez- bongos, clave
Mark Clark- triangle
JG- electric bass, Rhodes piano, organ, synth.

MALI
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Tim Gagan- lap steel guitar
Ottmar Liebert- rhythm guitar
David Bryant- congas, shikere, tambourine
JG- upright bass, electric bass, synth.

AIR
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Kanoa Kaluhiwa- tenor saxophone
Chris Allen- vibes
Andy Poling- drums
Michael Chavez-bongos
JG- electric bass, synth.

LAUSANNE
Calvin Hazen-flamenco guitar
Lewis Winn- electric guitar
Chris Allen- vibes
Michael Chavez- shaker
JG- upright bass, electric bass, Rhodes piano, synth.

HAMMERDOWN
Bert Dalton- Rhodes piano
Lewis Winn- electric guitar
Calvin Hazen- flamenco guitar
Michael Chavez- drums
Ottmar Liebert-wah wah guitar
JG- electric bass, organ, synth.

DESERT RETURN
Ottmar Liebert- flamenco guitar solo
Calvin Hazen- flamenco guitar
Chris Allen-vibes
Tim Gagan- lap steel guitar
Kanoa Kaluhiwa- tenor saxophone
Michael Chavez- dumbek, shaker
David Bryant- palmas
Mark Clark- toms
JG- upright bass, electric bass, synth.

ROWE MESA
Calvin Hazen- flamenco guitar
David Bryant- shikere
Chris Allen- vibes
Ottmar Liebert- wah wah guitar
JG- electric bass, saz, electric bass w/tarpit meltdown,synth, percussion

FIVE THOUSAND MILES
Ottmar Liebert- flamenco guitar
Kanoa Kaluhiwa- tenor saxophone
Mark Clark-percussion effects
Nancy Gagan- vocal effects
JG- electric bass, organ, synth.

BLUES AT DAWN
Lewis Winn- electric guitar
Kanoa Kaluhiwa- tenor saxophone
Chris Allen-vibes
Andy Poling-drums
Michael Chavez- drum intro
David Bryant- shaker
JG- upright bass, electric bass, synth.

Musicians on bonus tracks:

BORDER TO BORDER
Ottmar Liebert- flamenco guitar
Bert Dalton-organ, synth
Tim Gagan- lap steel guitar
Chris Allen- vibes
Mark Clark- cajon, timbales, percussion
JG- upright bass, electric bass, synth.

RIVER IDOL
Lewis Winn- electric guitar
Kanoa Kaluhiwa-tenor saxophone
Chris Allen- vibes
Ottmar Liebert- wah wah guitar
Andy Poling- drums
Michael Chavez- shaker
JG- upright bass, synth.