Yuval Ron & Residents Of The Future - Live at Klaipeda International Jazz Festival [2006] @ 192

Yuval is a personal friend of mine, and he encouraged me to share his music on my blog. He feels that this (blogging) is the way of the future. I have full permission from the artists to post this album here. I can provide this in writing if necessary...

First, some background info from the Official Yuval Ron & Residents of the Future site:

Yuval Ron and Residents Of The Future perform original tunes written and arranged mostly by guitarist and band former Yuval Ron. The music reveals influences of modern jazz greatests, and a mixture of many other contemporary artists of the progressive rock, fusion and metal veins. The music holds a constant emphasis on harmonic richness, rhythmical sophistication, dialogues between players and extensive use of synthesizers and other electric instruments.

The material played blends between fascinating compositions and spectacular solo improvisations and leads to a musically electrifying experience.

The band has performed on a variety of venues worldwide, and gained extremely supportive feedbacks and recognition from audiences, the media and fellow musicians. It has also released a first EP on May 2004 named "Futuristic Worlds Under Construction", and the latest release "Live at Klaipeda International Jazz Festival", a FreeVD (Free Video For Distribution) which can be entirely viewed at the Music page. At 2006 and 2007 Yuval Ron and Residents Of The Future will also perform at some of the most renowned Jazz venues in the world. Stay tuned on the website's Events page for more information.

Individual Biographies:

Yuval Ron / Electric Guitar

Born in Haifa, 1980, Yuval started to play the guitar at age 11. Soon he became active as a player, songwriter, leader and sideman in local bands which played a variety of styles in Metal music and Hardcore.

After being exposed to bands such as Cynic, Mr. Bungle and Meshuggah alongside Chick Corea, Allan Holdsworth, Dave Liebman, John Zorn, John Coltrane, ECM artists and many other contemporary Jazz and progressive music greats, he decided to take jazz and improvisation lessons and since have studied with some of the top music teachers in Israel.

Yuval is also working in the field of software engineering with focus on AI (artificial intelligence), and hopes to combine it with his music someday.


Ofir Shwartz / Keyboards and Synthesizers

Ofir was born in Haifa, Israel in 1979. In the early 2000's started to play the piano professionally along with some of the finest Jazz musicians in Israel.

Leader of the "Ofir Shwartz Trio", Established and led "Four Winds Quartet", the "Art of Duo" (Piano-Drums group), performed at honored Jazz clubs in Israel; Nowadays continue composing and creating some fascinating new music.

Ofir takes much inspiration from great musicians such as Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau, Allan Holdsworth, Bobo Stenson, Dave Holland, Rainer Bruningaus, David Liebman, and many more - holding great importance to creativity and modernization in his music, exploring the endless bounds of harmony and melody..

Ofir in also involved in electrical engineering, studying at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and working in Zoran company.


Yaniv Shamelashvili / Bass

Yaniv was born at October 1981, in Beer Sheva, Israel.
Started playing the piano at the age of 7, and writing songs at the age of 11, he found out that music is his true love.

In high school he was exposed to the music of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and some other 70' rock bands, which were his main influences at that period. At the age of 15 he decided to take guitar lessons, but pretty quickly moved to his main instrument- the bass guitar. On 1997 he formed a band with a fellow drummer nowadays called "October". The band combined influences from 70' hard rock bands, psychedelics, and classical music. After a long research, Yaniv found out that this style is called "Progressive Rock". Over the years, Yaniv got more interested in this fresh new music, and added jazz and avant-garde influences to the dish.

A couple of years later, Yaniv has joined "Yuval Ron and Residents of the Future" and is currently working both with the band and on other various musical projects. Yaniv is also studying jazz performance at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem.


Yatziv Caspi / Drums

Yatziv is a professional active performer and takes part in various local and international ensembles as a drummer, percussionist and tabla player, among them are: Orphaned Land, the well-known oriental-metal band, Ahvak, progressive rock/avantgarde band, the ethnic music ensemble "Ujat" and many others. Yatziv is mainly influenced by ethnic music, jazz, fusion and progressive rock.

All above info taken directly from:

http://www.rotf.us/


And now for my review:

Note: I met Yuval Ron via the music filesharing (p2p) community known as SoulSeek. He invited me to go to his site and listen to his band's music, and I must admit, my jaw dropped. I hadn't heard such a fresh take on fusion in quite a long time, and it was refreshing as hell to find such an unassuming group of fellows doing the forefathers of the genre so proudly, but breathing new life into it so proficiently. Upon first listen, I was hooked, and I hope you, my readers, will be as well...

Yuval Ron & Residents of the Future give the fusion world something to be proud of. To have young men of their age carrying the torch of the genre so highly, and with so much flavor and flair, one cannot help but be impressed. They pay homage to the fusion greats, as can be clearly heard in their music, but they also add their own totally unique attitude and touches to the tunes they perform. Clearly, the torch has been passed to the next generation. And fusion fans such as myself could not be more pleased.

Yuval Ron's talent on guitar is both jaw-dropping, and refreshing at the same time. You can't help but have respect not only for his abilities, but his willingness, as the named frontman of his band, to allow his bandmates to have moments to shine during this performance. And shine, they do.

Ofir Shwartz's background in jazz and fusion can be clearly heard, in the stellar keyboard virtuosity displayed here. He gives a rather new flavor, to a genre that's been around awhile, through the brilliant addition of some more electronic elements. He shows that you can teach an old genre some new tricks, and does it ever have a payoff.

Bassist Yaniv Shamelashvili brings a 'progressive' edge to The Residents' sound. Being influenced by the progressive rock genre, he brings that, as well as an avant-garde flavor to the table, and it gives the sound just the right blend of textures and tones.

And on drums, there is Yatziv Caspi. What can one say, after hearing the drum solo in "Sionara Milkyway!" but, "Wow!" His rhythms power the group ahead, and leave you breathless and speechless when he is given center-stage honors to show off his mad percussive skills.

Some highlight moments in this set are, "Objects in Mirror are Larger Than They Appear" which is pure fusion bliss, and the breathtaking, "Sionara Milkyway!" which features some great ensemble and solo playing by each of the members. If you are a fan of jazz, fusion, or progressive rock, this set is for you. An awesome live performance by a band who should, quite honestly, have more exposure. You know you've been to a good show, when this set comes to a close.

----Review by FlowerJewel


Tracklisting:
1. Greetings, Earthling / Yuval Ron (8:10)
2. Objects In The Mirror Are Larger Than They Appear / Yuval Ron (8:09)
3. Cannes Venatici's Central Ice-Skating Rink / Yuval Ron (6:24)
4. Sionara, Milkyway! / Ofir Shwartz (8:33)
5. Guitar Solo / Yuval Ron (3:51)
6. Residence Of The Future / Yuval Ron (6:43)
7. Long Distance Call / Yuval Ron (6:36)

Total Time: 48:26

Line-Up:
- Yuval Ron / Electric Guitar
- Ofir Shwartz / Keyboards and Synthesizers
- Yaniv Shamelashvili / Bass
- Yatziv Caspi / Drums

****Disclaimer: The above audio tracks are not to be taken as 'professional' recording, and while the quality is excellent, there may be a few audiophiles who will pick up on some sound-related issues. Do not let this deter you from downloading, and for those of you who wish to hear/see in better quality read on...

The video to all the above tracks may be downloaded, free-of-charge (open source artists here) at the official Yuval Ron & Residents of the future site:

http://www.rotf.us/music/music.asp

...or

You can watch all the videos on YouTube by clicking HERE

Many thanks to Yuval Ron for his kind permission to post this here.

And as I always say...

Stay Tuned For More!!!!

Link is in comments...