Passion Star Music: News

Ray and I head back into Skywalker Sound to continue work on our CD project.

Title:

Akeru I: Stars on the Ground

We're so grateful for all of the love, joy and support of the artists that are gracing our project.. Thank you!

LARKSPUR, CA, June 05, 2009
"This is one of the most beautiful bass solo pieces I've ever heard. I can't believe I hadn't heard of Edo before. Where have I been?" - YouTube Fan viewing "Rain", written & performed by Edo Castro.

Currently, Passion Star Records' artist Edo Castro is recording & mixing his latest project at Skywalker Sound in Nicasio, California with Ray Cooper as producer.

This will be his second release on the Passion Star Records label due out later this year.

Bay Area bassist sensation Edo Castro describes his new release, Sacred Graffiti, as a "catch-all for my musical musings since Phoenix" - his landmark release in 2006 on Passion Star Records.

"A musical Journal if you will," Edo explains, "In my day-to-day travels I notice signs, scribbles on walls, imprints in the sidewalk, bumper stickers and more. These in a way have become the modern day cave paintings"

It's as if these dynamic visuals have been given auditory life as Edo delivers intricate urban jazz arrangements followed by ambient and enchanting soundscapes.

"Sacred Graffiti gives an impression that is at once modern and yet timeless in its varied compositions," enthuses Passion Star Record's founder, Lisa Star.

Special guests - David Friesen, Michael Manring, Dan Zinn, Ray Cooper and Percy Jones join Edo on this newest release.

wow.. what fun - at Skywalker Ranch for a whole weekend of recording at the Skywalker Sound facility there. Many thanks to all of the fabulous artists that joined Ray and I in the sessions including Edo Castro, Jonathan Moe, Paget Campbell, Michael Peloquin, Glenn Schoonmaker, Owen Davis, Bob Gordon - and special thanks to Philippe Glade for vocal coaching on the French version of Shining Star - and to Timothy Benton for his video time.

Big hugs for support and energy to Lisa Campbell, Lynn Asher, Bob Gordon, Mary Christiansen, Dana Benton, Rachel Chang - Thank you!

And of course - thank you for the supreme efforts and magic from Leslie Ann Jones and Robert/Skywalker Sound.

He’s currently working on his 3rd Release with special guest bassist David Friesen, Michael Manring and Percy Jones. Edo is also planning a Bass project involving Stew McKinsey and Yves Carbonne.

Ray Cooper & Lisa Star head into Skywalker Sound May 1st for their 2nd studio session. 18 songs are underway at present.

We're looking forward to three days with Leslie Ann Jones & team..

More news soon!

Check our our Music Page to see the new tracks we're working on.. we've taken a few themes and set them to music.. hope you enjoy!

Wishing you and yours a warm & wonderful holiday season!

Passion Star Music

Thanks to a terrific arrangement between Passion Star Records and Pacific Coast Jazz Records, Phoenix & Tabernacle CDs are available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles amoung other CD sales sites. Just in time for Xmas shopping!

Enjoy!

Edo's first CD, EDO, is now available on iTunes! See our BUY page for a direct link. These tracks are a beautifully craft blend of smooth jazz and ambient compositions that sooth the heart & soul. You can listen to these on our MUSIC page. Enjoy

Ray Cooper & Lisa Star took 5 original songs into Skywalker Sound to track the beds - bass, drums, guitar, piano.. Leslie Ann Jones engineered along with Dann Thompson..

Looking forward to mixing, overdubs, BGs & vox...

It was a beautiful, northern CA weekend.. great vibe, great musicians, great friends.. thanks to all!

By end of July, EDO - Castro's premier release will be available for digital download off of iTunes as well as streaming with Napster, Rhapsody, eMusic, etc.

We will be supporting this release with MusicSubmit internet marketing as well as further promotional efforts in the fall.

We are very proud and excited to be featuring this rerelease of such wonderful music.

Passion Star Records is proud to announce that Edo Castro's Phoenix will be in stores on September 2nd in the US and coming soon to select countries worldwide.

We have partnered with Pacific Coast Jazz to bring Edo's music to a broader market and are excited about this collaboration.

More news on this soon!!

Rehearsing new material.. taking time with friends.. going to Yosemite for a few days..

Joy to you all!

It is such a great idea!

Wilbur Rehmann on Saxes, Eric "Doc" Smith on Zen Drum/loops and Edo Castro 7 String bass/effects. You must check this out...

Sheba Piano Lounge in San Francisco's Filmore Street "Jazz" District.

MANRING KASSIN DARTER
with Edo Castro and E. "Doc" Smith

http://sanfrancisco.going.com/invite-28499?src=v_wi_sfo_28499_aa59608365">http://sanfrancisco.going.com/badges/invite-28499/src-v_wi_sfo_28499_aa59608365/style-1/show_flyer-1/format-img/badge.jpg"/>
Saturday, April 12 8:00pm
$20.00 General Admission
$15.00 Students
$22.00 General Admission, Day of Show
Buy tickets at TicketWeb or by calling 415.383.9600

"Mindboggling musicianship. Complex, provocative compositions. Darter, Manring and Kassin are all-around awesome!" - Greg Rule, Keyboard magazine

Opening this evening is Edo Castro with E. "Doc" Smith.

Edo Castro is a multi-stringed bass virtuoso. Castro has performed with a plethora of jazz greats; Roy Haynes, Ed Thigpen, Johhny Griffin, Armando Peraza, Stu Hamm and Mark Egan, just to name but a few.

E. "Doctor" Smith is a drummer and percussionist who has worked with the likes of Brian Eno,Madonna, Warren Zevon, Mickey Hart, Jimmy Cliff, and John Mayall among others. He is the inventor of the musical instrument, the Drummstick. He is thrilled with his recent collaboration with bassist Edo Castro.

Manring Kassin Darter - Performing "chamber music for the new millennium" this virtuoso trio has been astounding audiences for the last ten years with their amazing chops, quiet soul and diverse compositions. With over 100 albums to his credit, bass phenom Michael Manring has been hailed as "the world's greatest electric bassist" while pianist Tom Darter's compositions have drawn praise from Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland and Karel Husa and music critics have compared Kassin's flute playing with Rahassan Roland Kirk, Hubert Laws and Paul Horn. While listeners can hear echoes of classical, folk, avant-garde, and world music in their performances, the net result is music that tears down stylistic walls and refuses to be compartmentalized.

Michael Manring (bass), known for his innovative approach to the bass and adventurous solo concerts, has appeared on approximately 200 recordings, and toured throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He has received Grammy and Bammie nominations, the Berklee School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award, two Gold Records, and the Bassist of the Year award from the readers of Bass Player magazine.

Larry Kassin (flute) founded the internationally recognized Noe Valley Music Series in 1981, at the acoustically superb Noe Valley Ministry in San Francisco, California. His wide-ranging performance style has led to appearances with Bobby McFerrin, Jessica Williams, SF Klezmer Experience, Rhiannon, Sonia, and Box Set, plus a recent CD release with Doors keyboardist Ray Manzerek and Beat poet Michael McClure.

Tom Darter (piano), founding editor of Keyboard magazine, established the Contemporary Music Ensemble at the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, where he also taught music theory and composition. He has arranged two albums of music for the Kronos Quartet Monk Suite (Music of Bill Evans), played keyboards on numerous Jerry Goldsmith film scores, and won several composition awards.

Phoenix has been added to Linda Coffin's Night Traveler playlist for March and April for you night owls.

Her show is Sun/Mon at 12am.

KRCB Television 22 and Radio 91 FM - Public Broadcasting for the North Bay, Sonoma County, California.

Thank you Linda!

Please visit our press page for a wonderful interview featuring Edo's CD Phoenix with Martin Simpson of Bass Player Online in South Africa.

Go behind the scenes with Edo!

Thank you Martin!

100 fans gathered together for an evening of wonderful performances by these three artists. It is truly amazing how they go beyond the confines of playing the bass instruments - that are beginning to look anything like the traditional bass!

Be sure and check the calendar often! Edo will be playing out a lot this year in different configurations with a lot of great, original music happening!

Thank you so much to Gone Fishing for Blue Skies in Japan for playing our version of Silent Night!

Visit their website:

http://www.gonefishingforblueskies.com/

Saturday, 7:30pm
January 26th
Noe Valley Music Series
18$ in advance 20$ at the door.

Come and celebrate with these extraordinary artists as they go beyond the confines of their instruments to a sublime world of sonic exploration.

Warm wishes for the holiday season to all who visit our site.

Thanks for sharing another great year of music!

4pm, December 16th, 2007

Lisa Star & Deborah Winters will be performing at the home of John & Sally Renn.

If you are in the Seattle area, please call the Renn's at:

206-363-7194