From Brooklyn, NY, Will Hanza, has been called "The Shaman in a Suit" .
Music as a ritual of energy and emotion... that ropes you in to the ride of a shamanic gypsy.
Gypsies are known for an unconventional nomadic life. Truly life-students of many cultures, the Shaman channels emotion and the energy of the universe... Will Hanza's bloodline are European and Iroquois, but the music is truly cross cultural, incorporating the ideas in many spiritual practices and their connection to music in world religions.
Also influenced by rockers such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Cream, King Crimson and Jeff Buckley.
The album ranges from all out rock songs to more cinematic/ambient pieces. A journey that tells an ever evolving story about embracing life-- even in the face of darkness. Constantly searching for the profound.
some REVIEWS:
“‘Open’ is so bursting with musical and spiritual energy, lush soundscapes, and riveting musicianship that it threatens to spill open like a bag of buried treasure... The first two cuts alone, “Trying to Keep This” and “The Game” have more melodic excitement and tonal variety than most CDs generate in 50 minutes.”
Timothy Peters, MusicDish.com
WILL HANZA defies all categorization so we had to put him in one all his own: World Beat Alt-Folk Rock. What does that mean, exactly? Well, you’ll have to buy his CD to ultimately find out, but the discovery will be well worth it. Each song will uncover itself in layer upon layer like all great music tends to do upon repeated listenings. And then when Will Hanza walks down the street we can look and wonder, “How does he do it?”
Radio Mike "Fevered Brain" in Austin, TX
thefeveredbrainofradiomike.com/comments.php?id=1188_0_1_0_C
thefeveredbrainofradiomike.com
“Pushing the boundries... High level of musicianship... Very distinctive styling throughout.”
“Taxi” review, TAXI.com
"A rollercoaster of vocals and melodies, that keeps the listener focused and interested."
Eugene Foley, Foley Entertainment, Inc., foleyentertainment.com)
“...Hanza's work is reminiscent of groundbreaking krautrock like Ash Ra Tempel or Popul Vuh, but in the same song he'll break into a blistering guitar solo that disrupts one's expectations and truly makes the music his own... The key, of course, is that Hanza is following his own vision... Listen to the album. It's rewarding in a way that I could never convey in words alone. The music is far more powerful.”
Benjamin Edmonds - WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago, whpk.uchicago.edu
“It was great seeing the band live... I think the album is a great representation of the Will Hanza experience, which I don't think is always the case...”
Recording Engineer Edward Douglas (Ravi Shankar, Monster Magnet, others)
“I love the innovative style and I love that they're not afraid to take chances. Will is a fierce performer”
NYCGigs.com
"Hanza's an NYC-based artist who obviously loves him some Hendrix and all sorts of jammy guitar stuff"
The L Magazine, www.thelmagazine.com
From Will:
"I strive for music to be a journey. To take a diverse trip. Travelling through space and shape, hard driving moments and those layed open, through light and dark. Everything inbetween. Guttural, worldly, spiritual, timeless. The ultimate goal is to write and perform in a way that is true to the goodness and love of the universe. To fight for it. To raise a sword in the name of it. The 'whateveryoucallit' is not cold or dark. It is warm, benevolent and full of hope. It is larger than anyone of us. One just need be open to it." -Will
More info at http://willhanza.com
Thank you.
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