Riptide is Now Available

CD Baby: http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior6
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide/1460983999
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0zo8R0JTxBdLqOcjMuGGyD

Riptide represents the group’s most dynamic and intricate effort to-date as the eleven song album traverses American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical idioms. The result creates hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages that are uniquely Atlas Maior.

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Sari Andoni - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Ted Camat - drums, guiro

Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine

Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro. Recorded in 2018 at Austin’s Bell Tree Studio, Riptide is the culmination of several years of the Atlas Maior compositional process by band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), Charlie Lockwood (oud - Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion). The album is bolstered by several featured guest artists and regular contributors to Atlas Maior, including violin maestro Roberto Riggio (Atash, Youssou N’dour, Fayrouz), rhythm section talents Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Palestinian oud player Sari Andoni. Riptide was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Riptide fits nicely within Atlas Maior’s catalog that includes Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), and Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive press accolades from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, Glide Magazine,  All About Jazz, Earmilk, UTNE Reader, World Music Central and more.  Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received  hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

Most recently Atlas Maior was nominated for the 3rd consecutive year as a top 5 finalist in the category of jazz for the 2019 Austin Music Awards.  They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré,  Tal National, Josh T. Pearson, and have performed at music festivals including Austin Days (Angers, FR), Pueblos Blancos (Andalusia), Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Angers, Austin, Barcelona, Istanbul,  and from around the world.

Riptide

Atlas Maior makes original music informed by Jazz, Indian classical & folk, Arab, Turkish, Latin American musical traditions.

Object Or A Face

Fata Morgana

Atlas Maior’s “Hadal” provides listeners with a revealing glimpse at Atlas Maior’s new 2023 album by the same name (to be released on Friday 2/17/23). The title track “Hadal” is a brooding, yet demonstrative offering inspired by the Hadal Zone, the deepest and darkest ocean trench on earth. The name Hadal is Atlas Maior’s metaphor for post-pandemic artistic perseverance within a rapidly changing global context.


Josh Peters - oud
Tarik Hassan -bass
Aaron Parks - drums
Stefan Del Bosque - drums
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone 

Engineered and mixed by Gary Calhoun James at Hen House Recording - Austin, TX
Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering- Chicago, IL

Photography by Benson A. Roberts IIII


Hadal is a diverse instrumental album that pivots between driving energy and moody introspection embodying the evolution of Atlas Maior from its inception into the full ensemble it has become. The album offers the 1st collection of compositions written by Josh Peters, & Joshua Thomson informed by the Arab maqamat modal system, Ghanaian Highlife, Brazilian samba, & gulf rhythms from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can be heard on songs “Basalt,” & “Hadal.” The band’s versatility within jazz experimental contexts can be witnessed within free flowing improvised compositions “Ignis Fatuus,” & “Fata Morgana.”

Atlas Maior, co-led by Thomson (alto saxophone) & Peters (Middle Eastern fretless lute; oud), have constructed an artistic throng of projects within the group from their full quintet to Tabla Trio, to the full improvised Atlas Maior: Palindrome project (inspired by Atlas Maior's double LP Palindrome), in addition to collaborations with guest vocalists (“Nazuk”, “Ya Ali” with Ali Pervez Mehdi).

For Press Inquiries: Please Contact:
Ryan Romana // ryan@pressjunkiepr.com
Mercedes Romana // mercedesR@pressjunkiepr.com

Press Junkie PR // 9901 Brodie Ln, Ste. 160 PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748 // press@pressjunkiepr.com // 512-710-5921

Hadal

Ignis Fatuus

"Basalt" is a sonically expansive composition that reflects the evolution of the band from the early days as a trio into the full ensemble it has become. Atlas Maior, which is co-led by Josh Peters and Joshua Thomson, have forged a multifaceted creative cavalcade from their full quintet to Tabla Trio (with Jason McKenzie), to the full improvised Atlas Maior: Palindrome project (inspired by Atlas Maior's double album Palindrome), or collaborations with guest vocalists ("Nazuk, Ya Ali" with Ali Pervez Mehdi).

"Basalt" is unique by bringing together the two rhythm sections, and for the first time two drummers performing two drum kits together (Del Bosque and Parks). Peters' approach to writing for two drummers is informed by Ghanian Highlife, and the southern Saudi Arabian arda janubian 4/4 rhythm which has similarities in feel to Brazilian samba. The initial melody for the piece was written by Thomson, and heavily influenced by Ornette Coleman, as can be heard in the rubato introductory melody performing by alto saxophone and oud, which is a departure from Atlas Maior's previous approaches with this instrumentation. Together Peters and Thomson constructed the overall vision and form for "Basalt," solidifying the chord progression, and developing the overall arrangement and various sections of the piece.

This new single continues the successful writing momentum and creative partnership between Peters and Thomson (since their first songs together "Ya Ali" and "Nazuk), this time in an instrumental setting. Basalt features drummers Stefan Del Bosque making his debut recording appearance with Atlas Maior, along with Aaron Parks who appeared on 2020's Singles ("Nazuk," "Ya Ali"). Bassist Tarik Hassan finishes his Austin, TX seven-year tenure with the band before departing for Lyon, France. Hassan first recorded with Atlas Maior on 2019's LP RIPTIDE.

The duo concludes, "we were very much influenced by the expansive scenic imagery of the southwest United States and the desire to be in nature, along with the theme of connection to one's sense of self. Basalt evokes a soaring sense of transcendence over buttes, rocks, and the red dust from the earth."

The single art was created by Benson A. Roberts III, and is a photograph that Roberts took of Salton Sea, CA. 

released October 21, 2022
For more information, promo requests, or set up an interview, please contact:

Ryan Romana - Press Junkie PR
ryan@pressjunkiepr.com
(415) 385-1784

www.facebook.com/atlasmaior
www.atlasmaior.com

Josh Peters - oud
Aaron Parks - drums
Stefan Del Bosque – drums
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone

Engineered and mixed by Gary Calhoun James at Hen House Studios - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering – Chicago, IL
Produced by: Josh Peters, and Joshua Thomson

Artwork by Benson A. Roberts

℗ & © 2022 by Silver Phantom Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

Basalt

Hello friends! I have a great, double-header for you guys today. Austin world/jazz group Atlas Maior return for episode 981! They new singles "Nazuk" and "Ya Ali" are available now wherever you stream or download your jams. The songs are collaborations with Pakistani singer, Ali Pervez Mehdi. Go to atlasmaior.com for music, videos and more. Josh Peters and Joshua Thomson and I have a great conversation about writing and making "Nazuk" and "Ya Ali" with Mehdi, releasing music under quarantine, Sufism, their writing process and much more. Plus, Samuel Thompson and Tucker Jameson from Austin punk band, The Blowies check in and talk about their debut, self-titled album out today (10/16)! Go to theblowies.com for music, merch and more. We did some video promo interviews for the album that will be dropping for the next week on their Instagram. Two great convos with two of Austin's best. Let's get down!

Interview from October 16th, 2020.

Johnny Goudie's Album

Episode 981: Atlas Maior Returns! (27 min mark) How Did I Get Here? with Johnny Goudie

Zagreus, Atlas Maior’s 1st single from 2023’s upcoming album Hadal is an intense, and expansive improvised piece rooted and anchored within a 9/8 Turkish karshlima rhythm performed by drummer Stefan Del Bosque. Musicians Joshua Thomson, Josh Peters, Aaron Parks, and Tarik Hassan weave experimental textures, initially drawing from minimalist instrumental approaches (oud, alto saxophone, double bass, drums), which ultimately unravel like the wildly unpeeling of a tart mandarin orange. Zagreus forges a high energy, aural tapestry through compositional dialogue between each of the five musicians. 

This improvisation was created from the imagined image of an expanding and dying universe, resulting in the creation of this personalized cosmological musical statement. Zagreus pays subtle homage to previous Atlas Maior songs “Red Dwarf Love Affair,” “Object or a Face,” & “Half-Pipe Blow Hole” (Four Shades, Atlas Maior EP, Palindrome) in theme, while taking a completely different compositional approach which ultimately contributes to the expansion of the band’s growing 6 album catalogue.

The title “Zagreus” is inspired by themes of the ancient Greek underworld, which has served as a metaphor for the group during the trying times of pandemic and the political and social unrest of these past two years. In addition, themes and imagery of “the hunter”, and “the hunted” drawn from Greek mythology have influenced the creation of Zagreus, as Atlas Maior questions its place within the larger context of the global community, as self-sustainability and global harmony appears to be increasingly more difficult.  


released October 14, 2022
For more information, promo requests, or set up an interview, please contact:

Ryan Romana - Press Junkie PR
ryan@pressjunkiepr.com
(415) 385-1784

www.facebook.com/atlasmaior
www.atlasmaior.com

Josh Peters - oud
Aaron Parks - drums
Stefan Del Bosque – drums
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone


Engineered and mixed by Gary Calhoun James at Hen House Studios - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering – Chicago, IL
Produced by: Josh Peters, and Joshua Thomson
Artwork by: Fumihito Sugawara - Fuman Studios


℗ & © 2022 by Silver Phantom Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

Zagreus

"Mists Of Our Past" from Atlas Maior's Oct 17th 2014 Release Palindrome.

Available now:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior3

Personnel:
Charlie Lockwood - 'ud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Ted Camat - drums
Gary James - double bass

About Palindrome:
During a two-month recording process at Bell Tree Recording Studio in Austin, TX during Summer 2013, Atlas Maior experimented with a variety of instrumental and sonic arrangements, exploring different methods of improvisation and cosmologies of sound.  Many of these exercises explored  themes of symmetries in sound and instrumental arrangement.  The result of these sessions is Palindrome, Atlas Maior's 2014 two-disc record comprised entirely of live improvised material from the studio sessions.  The album also features instrumentalist and recording engineer Gary Calhoun James (double bass, harmonium) and special guests Sari Andoni ('ud) and Bob Hoffnar (Pedal Steel).  
 

Mists Of Our Past

Riptide is Now Available

CD Baby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior7
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide-single/1460104967
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1GROmUejUAiNmT93LeEZN6

Riptide represents the group’s most dynamic and intricate effort to-date as the eleven song album traverses American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical idioms. The result creates hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages that are uniquely Atlas Maior.

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Sari Andoni - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Ted Camat - drums, guiro

Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine

Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro. Recorded in 2018 at Austin’s Bell Tree Studio, Riptide is the culmination of several years of the Atlas Maior compositional process by band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), Charlie Lockwood (oud - Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion). The album is bolstered by several featured guest artists and regular contributors to Atlas Maior, including violin maestro Roberto Riggio (Atash, Youssou N’dour, Fayrouz), rhythm section talents Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Palestinian oud player Sari Andoni. Riptide was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Riptide fits nicely within Atlas Maior’s catalog that includes Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), and Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive press accolades from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, Glide Magazine,  All About Jazz, Earmilk, UTNE Reader, World Music Central and more.  Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received  hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

Most recently Atlas Maior was nominated for the 3rd consecutive year as a top 5 finalist in the category of jazz for the 2019 Austin Music Awards.  They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré,  Tal National, Josh T. Pearson, and have performed at music festivals including Austin Days (Angers, FR), Pueblos Blancos (Andalusia), Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Angers, Austin, Barcelona, Istanbul,  and from around the world.

RIPTIDE

The Curse - Riptide

Riptide is Now Available

CD Baby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior7
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide-single/1460104967
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1GROmUejUAiNmT93LeEZN6

Released April 19th, Riptide is the 2nd single and title track from Atlas Maior's 5th studio release: "Riptide." A combination of Middle Eastern, & Progressive Jazz, featuring powerful riffs and deep cut grooves that illustrate the group's dynamic sound.

This musical offering is a sonic musical journey created by the progressive jazz, & world music group Atlas Maior. Influenced by Arab, Ethiopian, Jazz, and Turkish music traditions, Riptide is the title track from the band's  upcoming album "Riptide" set for release on May 3rd, 2019. 

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine 

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Ted Camat - drums


Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX 

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

April 19th, 2019

Riptide (Single)

CD Baby: store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior6
Itunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide/1460983999
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/0zo8R0JTxBdLqOcjMuGGyD

Riptide represents the group’s most dynamic and intricate effort to-date as the eleven song album traverses American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical idioms. The result creates hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages that are uniquely Atlas Maior.

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Sari Andoni - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Ted Camat - drums, guiro

Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine

Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro. Recorded in 2018 at Austin’s Bell Tree Studio, Riptide is the culmination of several years of the Atlas Maior compositional process by band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), Charlie Lockwood (oud - Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion). The album is bolstered by several featured guest artists and regular contributors to Atlas Maior, including violin maestro Roberto Riggio (Atash, Youssou N’dour, Fayrouz), rhythm section talents Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Palestinian oud player Sari Andoni. Riptide was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Riptide fits nicely within Atlas Maior’s catalog that includes Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), and Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive press accolades from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, Glide Magazine,  All About Jazz, Earmilk, UTNE Reader, World Music Central and more.  Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received  hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

Most recently Atlas Maior was nominated for the 3rd consecutive year as a top 5 finalist in the category of jazz for the 2019 Austin Music Awards.  They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré,  Tal National, Josh T. Pearson, and have performed at music festivals including Austin Days (Angers, FR), Pueblos Blancos (Andalusia), Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Angers, Austin, Barcelona, Istanbul,  and from around the world.

Nastaran

Nastaran - Riptide

RIptide is Now Available 

CD Baby: store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior6
Itunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide/1460983999
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/0zo8R0JTxBdLqOcjMuGGyD

Riptide represents the group’s most dynamic and intricate effort to-date as the eleven song album traverses American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical idioms. The result creates hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages that are uniquely Atlas Maior.

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Sari Andoni - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Roberto Riggio - violin
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Ted Camat - drums, guiro

Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine

Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro. Recorded in 2018 at Austin’s Bell Tree Studio, Riptide is the culmination of several years of the Atlas Maior compositional process by band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), Charlie Lockwood (oud - Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion). The album is bolstered by several featured guest artists and regular contributors to Atlas Maior, including violin maestro Roberto Riggio (Atash, Youssou N’dour, Fayrouz), rhythm section talents Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Palestinian oud player Sari Andoni. Riptide was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Riptide fits nicely within Atlas Maior’s catalog that includes Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), and Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive press accolades from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, Glide Magazine,  All About Jazz, Earmilk, UTNE Reader, World Music Central and more.  Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received  hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

Most recently Atlas Maior was nominated for the 3rd consecutive year as a top 5 finalist in the category of jazz for the 2019 Austin Music Awards.  They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré,  Tal National, Josh T. Pearson, and have performed at music festivals including Austin Days (Angers, FR), Pueblos Blancos (Andalusia), Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Angers, Austin, Barcelona, Istanbul,  and from around the world.

Chamber of Mirrors (FULL) - Riptide

RIptide is Now Available 

CD Baby: store.cdbaby.com/cd/atlasmaior6
Itunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/riptide/1460983999
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/0zo8R0JTxBdLqOcjMuGGyD

Riptide represents the group’s most dynamic and intricate effort to-date as the eleven song album traverses American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical idioms. The result creates hypnotic, transportive soundscapes with powerful melodies and gripping passages that are uniquely Atlas Maior.

Charlie Lockwood - oud
Sari Andoni - oud
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Tarik Hassan - double bass
Ted Camat - drums, guiro

Recorded, & mixed by:
Gary Calhoun James at Bell Tree Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX

Produced by: Charlie Lockwood and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2019 by Atlas Maior. All rights reserved.
www.atlasmaior.com
booking.atlasmaior@gmail.com

"Mixing Middle Eastern sounds with progressive jazz, the song is a psychedelic musical exploration that winds and curves but never loses the groove. While musician brings something to the table, Joshua Thomson shines on saxophone as he channels the more worldly jazz experimentation of artists like John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. His saxophone playing flows along in a hypnotic way that feels like it is sailing over a desert night. With such a unique sound, the members of Atlas Maior are part of a new young wave of jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott who are pushing boundaries and breaking new ground to usher in a new era of jazz that is truly electrifying." - Glide Magazine

Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro. Recorded in 2018 at Austin’s Bell Tree Studio, Riptide is the culmination of several years of the Atlas Maior compositional process by band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), Charlie Lockwood (oud - Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion). The album is bolstered by several featured guest artists and regular contributors to Atlas Maior, including violin maestro Roberto Riggio (Atash, Youssou N’dour, Fayrouz), rhythm section talents Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Palestinian oud player Sari Andoni. Riptide was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Riptide fits nicely within Atlas Maior’s catalog that includes Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), and Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive press accolades from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, Glide Magazine,  All About Jazz, Earmilk, UTNE Reader, World Music Central and more.  Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received  hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

Most recently Atlas Maior was nominated for the 3rd consecutive year as a top 5 finalist in the category of jazz for the 2019 Austin Music Awards.  They have opened for internationally acclaimed artists Vieux Farka Touré,  Tal National, Josh T. Pearson, and have performed at music festivals including Austin Days (Angers, FR), Pueblos Blancos (Andalusia), Wobeonfest, Art Outside, SXSW, and the City of Austin’s F1 Fan Fest.  The group has collaborated with a host of talented musicians in Angers, Austin, Barcelona, Istanbul,  and from around the world.

Cumbia Raposia - Riptide

"Ya Ali" is the 2nd Single by Atlas Maior and Pakistani vocalist Ali Pervez Mehdi (1st Single NAZUK released 9/25/20). Song “Ya Ali,” sung in Panjabi is a tune originally inspired by Ali Farka Toure, a musical influence on Ali Pervez Mehdi at the time. 

Atlas Maior composed a 12/8 section using the Colombian currulao, as a nod to the African Diaspora, but very different from a Farka Toure song energy wise. “The idea here was to write an Atlas Maior piece for Ali to sing, in a way, and in a context that was very different for him. "We wanted to create a song for him to improvise within, that challenged him musically and the entire band. I think we achieved that,” states Thomson. "Ya Ali" is a tune that draws on multiple music traditions and uses tools found in Pakistani ghazal, Colombian, Afro-Cuban, and progressive jazz.  

Recorded in December of 2019 at King Electric Studio, “Ya Ali” was arranged & written by Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), and Josh Peters (oud - Middle Eastern fret-less lute). and features traditional Pakistani poetry sung by Ali Pervez Mehdi. The track is bolstered by a rhythm section that includes the talents of Gary Calhoun James (double bass), and Aaron Parks (drums). “Ya Ali" was co-produced by Peters, Pervez Mehdi,, & Thomson, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

For more information, promo requests, or set up an interview, please contact:

Joshua Thomson, Silver Phantom Booking
+1(313)258-0378
silverphantombooking@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/atlasmaior
www.atlasmaior.com

Ali Pervez Mehdi - vocals
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Aaron Parks - drums
Josh Peters - oud, piano, percussion

Recorded by:
Gary Calhoun James at King Electric Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX
Produced by: Ali Pervez Mehdi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Thomson

℗ & © 2020 by Silver Phantom Publishing. All rights reserved.

Ya Ali (featuring Ali Pervez Mehdi)

“Nazuk” is a composition that takes its lyrics from the 19th-century Punjabi Sufi poet Khawaja Farid of the Indian subcontinent. Farid, a prolific scholar and writer within multiple languages, belonged to the Chishti-Nizami Sufi order. The creation of “Nazuk” is informed by Ali Pervez Mehdi’s father, famous ghazal singer Ustad Pervez Mehdi, and the classical Sufi music and poetry form known as Kafi. “Nazuk” is sung in the language of ‘Saraiki.

 The song was rearranged & re-conceptualized by Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), and Josh Peters (oud – Middle Eastern fret-less lute) and features Ali Pervez Mehdi on vocals, and piano. The track is bolstered by a rhythm section that includes the talents of Gary Calhoun James (double bass), and Aaron Parks (drums). “Nazuk” was co-produced by Peters, Pervez, & Thomson, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, & mastered by Carl Saff.

Video "Nazuk" on Youtube:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z3ZVcrYSNI&feature=youtu.be

For more information, promo requests, or set up an interview, please contact:

Joshua Thomson, Silver Phantom Booking  
+1(313)258-0378	
silverphantombooking@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/atlasmaior	
www.atlasmaior.com

Ali Pervez Mehdi - vocals, piano
Joshua Thomson - alto saxophone
Gary Calhoun James - double bass
Aaron Parks  - drums
Josh Peters - oud

Recorded by:
Gary Calhoun James at King Electric Studio - Austin, TX
Mastered by: Carl Saff at Saff Mastering - Austin, TX
Produced by: Ali Pervez Mehdi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Thomson

Nazuk (featuring Ali Pervez Mehdi)

Atlas Maior maps diverse musical traditions, placing Jazz, Middle Eastern, and Latin American musical idioms in dialogue with one another. The group composes music that pays homage to the stewards of these traditions and their cultural and geographic origins. Band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone, flutes), and Josh Peters (oud) create a unique sound that balances intimate moments of sincerity with powerful melodies and incendiary rhythmic passages. Thomson and Peters write original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions of American jazz..

The band takes its name from the first world atlas, published by Joan Bleau in Amsterdam in the 17th century. Founded in Austin, TX in 2009, Atlas Maior was inspired by the idea of creating original music encompassing the group’s wide range of musical inspirations, including Egyptian composer Mohammad abdul-Wahhab, Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou-Khalil, bassist Avishai Cohen, jazz artists Jackie McLean, Pharaoh Sanders, Sun Ra, and fusion projects such as Amalgama, Ojos de Brujo, Shakti, and local Austin world music pioneers Atash.

Since its formation Atlas Maior has been creating original material, performing throughout Texas, and engaging creatively with other Austin-based musicians. The group released the Atlas Maior EP in 2011, and followed up with the 2012 release of Four Shades, Atlas Maior’s first full-length album, recorded at Mohr Music Studios. In September 2013, Atlas Maior embarked on an international tour and cultural immersion experience in Istanbul, Turkey, where they performed at a variety of venues including a local university, and took music lessons from well-known Turkish musicians. The summer before leaving for Istanbul, the group undertook a series of improvisatory recording sessions at Bell Tree Studios in Austin, TX, featuring double bassist Gary Calhoun James, along with guests Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel), and Sari Andoni (oud). During these sessions Atlas Maior experimented with a variety of instrumental and sonic arrangements, exploring different methods of improvisation and cosmologies of sound. Many of these exercises explored themes of symmetries in sound through different instrumental arrangements. The result of these sessions was Palindrome, Atlas Maior's 2014 two-disc album comprised entirely of live improvised material from these studio sessions.

The release of Palindrome capped off an exciting year of growth for Atlas Maior, which included the international tour in Turkey, placement in Marrakesh, Morocco's 5th Biennial Art Festival, and a proclamation by Austin's City Council of Atlas Maior Day on March 27, 2014. In 2015 the group continued to refine sketches of new material, culminating in the fall 2015 release of Keyif, a 3-track EP. Keyif, a Turkish concept that translates roughly as enchantment, delight, and conviviality, traces Atlas Maior's approach to music and life. Keyif demonstrates the group's maturing sonic identity by featuring original material, while also exploring their multidimensional musical influences.

Atlas Maior

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