SHIJIN (Schwarz-Bart/Galland/Braff/David) (Paris, FRANCE)

Shijin is an oriental symbol representing the guardians of the four cardinal points. Each guardian is also related to an animal, a season, a color, an element, a virtue.

This quartet is the meeting point and the alliance of four powerful musical entities, each bringing their experience, style and culture of origin.

The telluric bass of Laurent David, the Phoenix-like piano style of Malcolm Braff, the cosmic saxophone of Jacques Schwarz-Bart and the niagaresque drumming of Stephane Galland are the magic ingredients involved in this musical and spiritual exploration.

The recording was made through a layering process. Bass and drums were created initially in Paris. Keyboards were added in Chamonix, and eventually the sax parts were created and recorded in Boston. The result displayed a level of strength, coherence and a collective aesthetic that seemed orchestrated by fate. A true band is born, where the whole is greater than the sum of all parts.