Juan Dhas
Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | SELF
Music
Press
Let’s embrace the clarity that is the incredibly fluid, flawlessly expressed music of guitarist and composer Juan Dhas.
At only 20 years old, Juan Dhas has released a collection of compositions driven by rich harmonic depth, flowing improvisation, colorful atmospherics and silky guitar tones usually reserved for players twice his age.
A graduate of Berklee and student of guitarist Tim Miller, Juan has taken his experience in those environs to the next logical step: forging an original interpretation of his broad influences, nodding to his mentor, and creating something fresh from his recent time in academia.
All too often, jazz students and recent grads plow forward with a relentless drive to impress and use everything they’ve learned on every tune. As if they are in the heat of their senior recital with all faculty ears attuned.
With Mr. Dhas, he presents an amazingly mature soundscape with laser focused clarity and purposefully embraces a pacing that builds. Never falling into the trappings of youthful insecurities, overstating everything to assure us of his prowess.
Quite the opposite. Juan Dhas takes us on a journey. And it’s a journey reminiscent of the late 70’s ECM label, if I am to associate it with anything familiar. Like those classic recordings from the Classic ECM days, there is an arc to each composition. An arc to the release as a whole. And and overall sense of “place”.
The band is excellent, responsive, attuned to one another. They compliment Juan and his vision with purpose and passion, as if the project were their own. Without overshadowing one another, Juan on guitar; Benjamin Furman on Piano/Keyboards; Alex Gorchesky on Bass; and Aaron Lawson on Drums allow the music to be the protagonist of this story. The journey to be the reason to maintain rapt attention.
I’m not the kind of reviewer who, song by song, attempts to paint pictures of each one with descriptions of solos, tones, and moments created. Rather, I will leave that to each listener. Take the journey. Allow your own soul to connect to the aural landscapes within. Know that it’s a journey worth taking and trust that it will leave you not merely impressed, but moved by having experienced it.
At 7.00USD it’s a steal of a deal on BandCamp:
https://juandhas.bandcamp.com/album/embracing-clarity
– Scott Jones (For the Evolving Musician, Composer, guitarist) - For The Evolving Musician
Editor's Comments - Impeccable guitarist, memorable debut. 4/5 stars. - All About Jazz
Discography
Embracing Clarity – Juan Dhas
Track List- Free
- Motive
- Premonition
- Light In The Dark
- Wired
- Let Go
- Andean Sky
Juan Dhas – Guitar
Benjamin Furman – Piano/Keyboards
Alex Gorchesky – Bass
Aaron Lawson – Drums
All music composed by Juan Dhas
Arranged by Juan Dhas, Benjamin Furman, Alex Gorchesky and Aaron Lawson
Producer – Alek Darson
Co-producer – Juan Dhas
Engineering – Alek Darson
Assistant Engineers – Josh Nachbar and Mark Schwartz
Mixing and Mastering – Alek Darson at Stretch Recording Studio
Recorded at The Record Company, Boston, MA.
Artwork – Madhu Dhas
Photography – Sarah Meyers of NM Photography
Photos
Bio
Born on May 4th 1994 in Dubai, UAE, guitarist Juan Dhas was immersed in music from the very beginning. At the age of 8, he began classical piano studies under Anton Tajanlangit, a member of the musical Tajanlangit family from the Philippines. However, Juan’s true passion for the guitar was ignited upon hearing a Hendrix album his father had bought; completely awe-struck, he asked his parents if he could study guitar. Juan’s wish was granted when he began studying with another Tajanlangit family member, Peter Tajanlangit, who saw great potential in Juan and nurtured his abilities over the coming years.
From a young age, Juan absorbed whatever he could around him, subconsciously molding his musical tastes. Growing up in Dubai, in a household with a Colombian mother and Indian father gave Juan a different perspective on life and his music. His trips to numerous countries and interactions with people from around the world made a lasting impression, allowing for a bottomless well of inspiration.
In 2010, Juan auditioned for the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he was awarded a scholarship and began his studies in Fall 2011. Since then, Juan has had the opportunity to study with great musicians such as Tim Miller, David Fiuczynski, and Leo Blanco (with whom he has performed). Juan also had the chance to hone his skills in improvisation, composition, and arranging.
While at Berklee, Juan was exposed to a wide variety of music, which had a marked effect on his playing and creative voice. Not only did he discover contemporary Jazz, he also began to cultivate his guitar style around the sound of other instruments: most notably, the saxophone and the piano. Some of the influences cited during this period of time include Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Aaron Parks, and Taylor Eigsti. Combining these sounds with some of his earlier influences, such as Tom Quayle and Allan Holdsworth, Juan has continued to craft a fluid, lyrical sound.
At only 20 years old, Juan graduated Summa Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor’s Degree in Guitar Performance. His first solo album, Embracing Clarity, is a collection of unique compositions that takes the listener on a musical journey. Weaving together lyrical melodies and colourful textures, the album creates an atmosphere that is both emotionally rich and thought-provoking.
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