On his new album, INFINITA, guitarist and composer Lawson Rollins, member of the acclaimed Latin guitar group Young & Rollins, offers a collection of inspired guitar melodies supported by an ensemble of some of the most accomplished and internationally recognized musicians in their fields.
Infinita offers 11 tracks of richly-textured, internationally-inspired original music, featuring the legendary Brazilian singer Flora Purim and percussion superstar Airto Moreira, as well as Persian-American producer and musician Shahin Shahida of the Billboard chart-topping group Shahin & Sepehr, multi-platinum-selling producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim), Grammy winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, and many others.
In the September 2008 issue of Guitar Player Magazine, Editor in Chief Michael Molenda writes, "Rollins seduces in so many ways that it’s almost unfair. His classical tone is gorgeous, his technique is impeccable, his subtle genre blending is compelling, and the cat can play melodies with jaw-dropping, near-demonic speed."
About Lawson Rollins
In 1998, Lawson partnered with guitarist Dan Young to found the virtuoso Latin guitar fusion group, Young & Rollins. Focusing on originality and experimentation, they performed only their own compositions, which drew upon an eclectic mixture of salsa, Latin jazz, blues, samba, bossa nova, flamenco, and classical styles, punctuated by improvisational flair and fast-paced interplay between the guitars and the Latin percussion rhythm section. Young & Rollins quickly established themselves on the international music scene through their 4 critically-acclaimed studio albums, widely broadcast televised concerts, and extensive live performances as a quintet in venues ranging from the Sydney Opera House to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Their music landed on the Billboard and radio charts and was included on numerous top-selling compilation albums alongside all the leaders in their genre.
Embarking on his first outing as a solo artist, Lawson Rollins has widened his compositional palette with his 2008 album, Infinita. On the recording Lawson crafts a lush World Music tapestry, featuring an eclectic, all star ensemble of 18 musicians, singers, and producers from the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States, with additional contributions from a string orchestra in Prague. Infinita features exotic instrumentation and prominent references to Persian, Arabic, and Indian music, as well as Latin and South American musical traditions. Weaving through this expansive soundscape is the distinctive guitar work and timeless compositional voice of Lawson Rollins. As the Portuguese title Infinita suggests, the music on the album is unconfined by genre restrictions and embraces a spirit of infinite creative possibility and wide-reaching artistic vision.
News
New Album INFINITA
Band Members
Lawson Rollins - guitars
Influences
Rollins melds an eclectic mix of Latin and Middle Eastern musical influences with his virtuoso, Spanish-tinged guitar style, creating a lush musical tapestry that pushes the boundaries of world music.
Website
lawsonrollins.com
