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Will Hanza : Open
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To believe is to live. Electric and acoustic New York gypsy rock. Blending elements of psychedelic classic rock, shamanism, world, ambient, alternative & modern
Genre: Rock: Psychedelic
Release Date: 2006
Open
Will Hanza
Record Label: Will Hanza
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Preview Song Name Time Buy
1. Trying to Keep This 4:47 + MP3 $0.99
2. The Game 4:41 + MP3 $0.99
3. Release and Realize 1:06 + MP3 $0.99
4. The Path 2:41 + MP3 $0.99
5. CrossQuarter 4:34 + MP3 $0.99
6. The Philosopher's Stone 2:21 + MP3 $0.99
7. Trust 3:32 + MP3 $0.99
8. The Game (Reprise) 2:08 + MP3 $0.99
9. Days 5:50 + MP3 $0.99
10. Life Under a New Star 6:05 + MP3 $0.99
11. The Night of Swords 3:09 + MP3 $0.99
12. Light Up the Storm 3:03 + MP3 $0.99
13. Split This Bare 2:51 + MP3 $0.99
14. Passion Will Suffice 4:46 + MP3 $0.99
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Album Notes

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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REVIEWS

Intense and mystical
author: Barbara L.
                            
This CD (and especially Trying to Keep This) makes me want to drive to the midwest and run through the cornfields with shamen, gypsies, indian chiefs, frustrated corporate lawyers and disenchanted priests, all of us in pursuit of the great WHAT IF and WHAT CAN BE, and WHAT IS NOW. Buy it and listen to it over and over.
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Hanza refuses to stick to the expected tropes of any particular trend in indepen
author: Benjamin Edmonds (WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago)
                            
It's often easy to fall into rock critic shorthand to describe album releases. I could easily categorize Open, by Will Hanza, as psychedelic rock, neo-progressive rock, or some other dubious category, but I won't do that. It's not so easy to place Open in a predetermined genre because Hanza refuses to stick to the expected tropes of any particular trend in independent music. At times 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. At other times, I'm reminded of My Bloody Valentine, the Incredible String Band, Comus, or the Fairport Convention. Despite the utter dissimilarity between these bands' recordings, Hanza makes all these elements work. The key, of course, is that Hanza is following his own vision. While the artists I've mentioned might give you some minor insight into the elements that comprise Hanza's work, the songs on Open defy simplistic efforts at categorization and I am merely using these bands as reference points rather than implying they are direct influences. The best way to appreciate the joy that Will Hanza brings to his performances, and the only way to get a feel for the rich textures his compositions entail, is to listen to the album. It's rewarding in a way that I could never convey in words alone. The music is far more powerful.
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Subtle, deep, and thought-provoking
author: Bryan Vierow
                            
I listened to this album a couple of times, driving mostly. Not really paying attention, not really getting it, but feeling like the fault lay with me, rather than the CD. When I finally sat down to really listen, the album came alive. This album pays special attention to layers, building on a solid base throughout. Especially good for falling into a trance and staring at the stars. Can't wait to see where he goes next.
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It's truly good stuff! Kid's got good chops!
author: Leslie Hyde
                            
I had thought from the first two songs I heard, that he sounded a little like Jeff Buckley (and being a Jeff Buckley fan, it was a big plus for me). It's a mix of very soothing (but not boring) to almost ambiance, but also some rock. If I had to make a pie chart of how he sounded it would be something like this: 30% Jeff Buckley, 30% The Doors, and 20% TheThe ... and maybe 20% Pink Floyd in there!
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