Christian Sands’ Releases New Track “Sonar”

Critically Acclaimed Pianist/Composer
Christian Sands Releases New Single “Sonar“

Be Water Available for Pre-Order Now,
Available July 17 via Mack Avenue Records

Album Features Yasushi Nakamura,
Clarence Penn, Marvin Sewell, Marcus Strickland,
Sean Jones and Steve Davis

On his stunning new album, pianist Christian Sands takes inspiration from water’s tranquility and power and muses on the possibilities offered by echoing its fluidity and malleability. Through ten gorgeous and thrilling pieces, Sands alternately conjures the serenity of a sun-dappled lake and the drama of a relentless thunderstorm. Just embarking on his 30s, Sands has already enjoyed a remarkable career trajectory, touring and recording with Christian McBride’s Inside Straight and Trio, as well as collaborating with the likes of Gregory Porter and Ulysses Owens.

Due out July 17, Be Water is Sands’ fourth release (including a five-track digital-only EP as an extension of his debut album Reach) for Mack Avenue Music Group. The album takes its title from the philosophy of martial arts master and movie star Bruce Lee (by way of screenwriter Stirling Silliphant, who distilled his thoughts for the screen). Lee’s voice appears on both halves of Sands’ title track offering this profound advice: “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup; you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle… Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” (Bruce Lee inspirational quote)

The vividly expressionistic recording finds Sands with his core trio of longtime bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Clarence Penn, with brilliant contributions from guitarist Marvin Sewell, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Sean Jones and trombonist Steve Davis. On one piece the ensemble is also supplemented by a string quartet featuring Sara Caswell, Tomoko Akaboshi, Benni von Gutzeit and Eleanor Norton.

Christian Sands • Be Water
Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: July 17, 2020

For media information, please contact:

DL Media · 267-541-2784
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com

For press materials on Christian Sands, Mack Avenue Music Group’s artists or its family of imprints (including album covers, promotional photos and logos), please visit media.mackavenue.com

MACK AVENUE · the road to great music · mackavenue.com
For the Preferred Artist Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com