Nashville, TN (Top40 Charts/Tak Matsumoto Official Website) - Guitar masters Larry Carlton and
Tak Matsumoto have released their new album, Take Your Pick, exclusively to global radio via AirPlay Direct. The pairing of Grammy-winning jazz guitarist, Carlton, and Asian rock guitar wizard, Matsumoto, creates an exciting blending of modern Eastern and Western guitar styles, and delivers a dynamic collection of music unlike any other.
Carlton has a long-established music career - both as a solo artist and ace first-call session musician. He has recorded with some of the top names in a multitude of genres, including Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and dozens of others. Along the way, he has performed on over 100 albums which have been certified in the Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum categories and has received 18 GRAMMY nominations.
Matsumoto is known as the most renowned guitarist in all of Asia. As the chief songwriter, guitarist and producer of the Japanese rock band, B'z, Matsumoto has presided over their 12 albums which have sold over 80 million units in Japan alone, making them the country's bestselling band in history. He has also released two critically heralded instrumental albums, Hana and Dragon From The West. He is the only guitarist from Asia to be given a Gibson Signature Model Les Paul.
'It is a treat for music fans to have two of the greatest guitar players in the world recording together,' states Scott Welch, President of AirPlay Direct. 'This rare musical collaboration expressed through the creative combination of Larry and Tak's talent is remarkable. Even though their individual guitar styles have a unique sound, their collective 'East-meets-West' approach on this album creates one memorable musical expression.'
'The landscape painted is breathtaking,' says Robert Williams, President of 335 Records. 'The greatness of these guitarists shines through in their ability to write, produce and play music that is opposite yet deliver a product that is synonymous. This is creative genius.'
Take Your Pick was produced by Carlton and Matsumoto, and features Billy Kilson on drums; Michael Rhodes on bass guitar; Jeff Babko on keyboards; Mark Douthit on saxaphone; Mike Haynes on trumpet, and Barry Green on trombone.
Radio broadcasters may download broadcast quality tracks from Take Your Pick here: https://airplaydirect.com/music/TakeYourPick/
About Larry Carlton:
Eighteen-time Grammy nominee, three-time Grammy winner and all-time guitar great, Larry Carlton established himself from his first recording, A Little Help From My Friends. His studio credits include musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and literally dozens of others. He went on to perform with the Crusaders and then with the multi- platinum jazz super group Fourplay. With 30 albums to his credit and
having performed on over 100 albums that have gone Gold or Platinum, Carlton has set a standard for artistry that spans three decades. In 2008 Carlton received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Player magazine at the historical Ryman Auditorium and was presented the "Titan of Tone" award from Premier Guitar Magazine at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Carlton also picked up two more Grammy nominations in 2009 bringing his career total to 18 nominations with 3 Grammy wins. Carlton's Greatest Hits Rerecorded Volume One released by 335 Records was nominated for 'Best Pop Instrumental Album' and 'Fortune Teller' from Fourplay's Energy was nominated for 'Best Pop Instrumental Performance.'
For more information on Larry Carlton visit: www.LarryCarlton.com, www.Mr335.tv, www.335Records.com
About Tak Masumoto:
Championed in his homeland as the most renowned guitarist in all of Asia, Tak Matsumoto is equally revered as chief songwriter, guitarist and producer of the Japanese rock band, B'z. Counting a legacy of 12 albums, B'z truly means big business, having sold a combined 80 million units in Japan alone, not surprisingly making them Japan's bestselling band in history. 2002, in particular, served as a landmark year for Matsumoto with the Japanese release of his much heralded instrumental albums, Hana and Dragon From The West. Hana, most noticeably, garnered rave reviews, its powerfully flowing melodies evocative of scenic horizons of the Orient. The album's bonus track, "Trinity," finds Matsumoto stretching the boundaries of "rock" guitar, blending different tastes in the melodies while retaining the same distinctive Japanese spirit. In 1999 he was given his own Signature Model Les Paul by Gibson and was added to Gibson's signature artist club. He is the only guitarist from Asia to be added to the club.
For more information about Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto visit: www.bz-vermillion.com
About AirPlay Direct:
AirPlay Direct is a global digital music delivery system servicing radio and the entertainment industry with downloadable content from some of the biggest names in music, alongside rising independent artists. AirPlay Direct's web-based artist marketing, promotion, education, and advocacy platform allows artists, record labels, and music publishers to securely deliver broadcast-quality music and digital press kits to industry professionals worldwide. Our system allows media programmers and film/TV music supervisors to connect to new music, create music calls, browse top downloaded artists, and immediately download music and related artist information. AirPlay Direct recently debuted their monthly digital/interactive publication, the Direct Buzz.
For more information about AirPlay Direct please visit www.AirPlayDirect.com
Follow AirPlay Direct on Twitter: https://twitter.com/airplaydirect
For more information about the Direct Buzz go to www.theDirectBuzz.com
