Brian Kastan CD Release Party for “Roll the Dice on Life”

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Free Live Jazz with Brian Kastan and Friends
Saturday, December 10th 7:30pm
at Exposures Gallery
1357 Kings Hwy, Sugar Loaf, NY 10918

Featuring
Brian Kastan Guitar
Mile Griffith Vocals
Steve Rust Bass
Peter O Brien Drums

It's fun and it's free! Sugar Loaf will be hosting "Second Saturday", with shops extending hours 5-7:00 PM. Many Sugar Loaf stores will offer an array of refreshments, art exhibitions, jewelry demos, slide shows, sales and more. The shops and galleries in the arts and crafts village of Sugar Loaf are welcoming the community to a monthly "meet and greet" evening. Each Second Saturday of the month will feature different artists and shops sharing their unique talents with the community.

WITH ROLL THE DICE ON LIFE,
GUITARIST BRIAN KASTAN OPENS A WINDOW INTO HIS MUSICAL SOUL

Full Of Raw Energy, This Dynamic, Guitar-Driven Double Album Features Vocals By Miles Griffith Jazz-Fusion guitarist, Brian Kastan introduces his newest CD, Roll the Dice on Life. This double album showcases dynamic original compositions by Brian Kastan. The goal of this album is to balance the integrity of composed songs with the fierce energy activated by free improvisation. This album produces high energy jazz-fusion between Brian Kastan's raw yet playful electric guitar, Miles Griffith's rich provocative vocals, bassist Steve Rust's artful sound pallet, and Peter O'Brien's rhythmic and dynamic play on drums—All of which take the listener on a journey to new, uncharted musical territory.

What is most exciting about this double album is Brian Kastan's compositional style and improvisational approach to this recording. All of the musicians are constantly pushing, pulling, and weaving the compositions to create music that articulates the feeling of always evolving.

Disc 1 reveals Brian Kastan's compositional range—from catchy odd metered grooves, a beautiful ballad, continuing on to jazz funk fusion and dark long melodies. With the addition of the powerful song, Rat Attack written by Miles Griffith, this disc explores the ingenuity of Brian Kastan's goal; To intertwine compositions with improvisation.

Disc 2 focuses on experiencing the spontaneous musical explosion of pure improvisation. The unique creativity revealed by these outstanding musicians shows the genius of the intentional uncontrolled musical environment. This second disc features two political and racially charged songs called Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter 2 recognizing the current events happening in the United States in 2016.

With this combination of experience, creativity, and talent, it's no surprise that this group of players has come together to produce such an engaging, high-energy double album. Roll the Dice on Life showcases their skills—and their musical telepathy—in a way that is ultimately satisfying and exciting for both the players and listeners.

Brian Kastan plays electric/acoustic guitar, electric bass, and composes soundtracks for T.V. and Film.
Played guitar for Nonsuch Record Label, Rhys Cantham's "The Grissom Grail", Recorded Live at Lincoln Center in 2010. He is an award winning nature photographer with gallery shows in NYC, Europe and Asia. He holds a Bachelor's degree in both Jazz Performance and Psychology from Suny New Paltz, a Masters Degree in Music from Brooklyn College, Brian is a Certified Clinical Hypnotist, and has co-authored a book called "Target Talking" with wife and artist Maria Hartmann Kastan.

Miles Griffith, vocalist/composer, has been a vital member of the New York jazz scene for more than two decades. A very short list of who he's played with includes NEA Jazz Masters Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Max Roach, Toshiko Akioshi, Jimmy Heath and Barry Harris; venerable icons including Jimmy Heath, Sir Roland Hanna, and Reggie
Workman; Cassandra Wilson, Carl Allen, and T.S. Monk; Lisa Sokolov, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Jay Clayton. Miles Griffith is also a notable band leader whose vocal range and unique musical insight make him a highly recognized composer and singer of his time.

Steve Rust, bassist/composer knows his way around a concert hall, orchestra pit, and recording studio. He's written for both film and theater, has collaborated with visual artists, and has appeared on dozens of albums. Steve, comfortable in virtually every musical genre, has accompanied everyone from Anthony Braxton to Eileen Fulton, from Jay Unger to Sir James Galway to Hubert Laws, Paul Simon, Natalie Merchant, and Baikida Carroll. Steve is a well known bass player in the style of sound painting.

Peter O'Brien, drummer, has played with artists such as Eric Person, Dr.Lonnie Smith.He has toured with legendary musicians including organist Brother Jack McDuff, Edgar Winter, and Roy Buchanan, before joining guitarist John Hall and his hit band Orleans. Besides maintaining a busy schedule appearing at major music festival/clubs across the country, and around the world, he also teaches at Bard College as well as privately, and is an in-demand studio musician.

Brian Kastan "Roll the Dice on Life" featuring Miles Griffith
(Brian Kastan Records 1001) Street Date January 1, 2017
Brian Kastan- guitar, Miles Griffith-vocals, Steve Rust-Bass Peter O'Brien-Drums

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