Elevation (Lawson Rollins album)

Elevation
Studio album by Lawson Rollins
Released 2011
Genre World music
Length 1:13:27
Label Infinita Records
Producer Dominic Camardella, Lawson Rollins, Shahin Shahida
Lawson Rollins chronology

Espirito
(2010)
Elevation
(2011)
Full Circle
(2013)

Elevation is the third solo album by guitarist and composer Lawson Rollins. Rollins co-produced the album with Persian-American musician and producer Shahin Shahida (of Shahin & Sepehr) and multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Flora Purim, 3rd Force, Ottmar Liebert).[1][2] The cast of 20 different musicians includes the Grammy winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, avante-garde electric guitarist Buckethead, Nepali sarangi player Kirin Nepali, Iranian vocalist Parsa Hassandokht, Nepali flute player Ruban Kumar Shrestha, Iranian santurist Pejman Eckhtiari, and Nepali tabla player Raju Maharjan. Associate producer William Aura of 3rd Force recorded the Nepali musicians in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Iranian musicians were recorded in Iran by co-producer Shahin Shahida.[3]

Composition

Rollins composed all of the music on the album; however, the song "Parisian Rhapsody" was inspired by "Gymnopedie No. 1" by Eric Satie. "Francisco's Dance" contains excerpts from "Capricho Arabe" by Francisco Tarrega.[3]

Reception

Elevation received positive reviews from jazz, guitar, and world music critics.[4][5][6]

The single from Elevation, "Daybreak", appeared on the Billboard top-30 Smooth Jazz Songs chart. The single peaked at #22.[1]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Lawson Rollins. 

No. Title Length
1. "Elevation"   5:22
2. "Voyager's Tale"   5:43
3. "Persian Night"   5:28
4. "Parisian Rhapsody"   5:31
5. "Santa Barbara Song"   4:27
6. "Daybreak"   4:57
7. "Shadows of Life"   5:49
8. "Himalayan Blue"   5:55
9. "The Wind at Dawn"   5:58
10. "Francisco's Dance"   5:48
11. "Slow Ascent" (featuring Buckethead) 5:11
12. "The Diamond Path"   6:56
13. "Ghosts of Alcazar" (featuring Buckethead) 6:14

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Elevation - Lawson Rollins". Allmusic. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  2. "Lawson Rollins: Elevation". Infinita Records. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Elevation (PDF). Lawson Rollins. Infinita Records. 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  4. Rollins, Lawson. Lawson Rollins. Guitar Player. Interview with Matt Blackett: 62–66. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  5. "Free Song of the Week: Lawson Rollins". National Geographic. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  6. "Around the World with Lawson Rollins". Straight No Chaser. December 14, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2013.

External links