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Since 1996, The Blur Division has emerged as a
strikingly resourceful and multi-faceted group of musicians merely
by virtue of their willingness to disregard style or genre in their
individual and collective pursuit of creative experimentation. The
group has steadily gained prominence in the music community, recording
their independently released CD, playing a wide variety of gigs,
opening for such internationally prestigious jazz acts as Christian
McBride and Larry Coryell, receiving regional radio play and national
television exposure, and eliciting unanimous praise from the critics.
Based on the strength of their live performances, the band's energetic
and positive spirit has particularly allowed them to indulge their
naturally exploratory approach to music making, and likewise communicate
effectively with each other and the audience.
James Bennett, the band's bassist, has been
playing and studying the bass since the age of sixteen. He was initially
drawn to jazz because it presented a multitude of ways to further
explore his instrument rhythmically, harmonically, and tonally.
While formally educated, he has strived to keep in mind the origin
and essence of jazz, which has always been more involved with feelings
and innovation than any reliance on an overly reverential approach.
The Blur Division has proved the perfect outlet to allow James to
compose and perform music that has the potential to affect everyone
in a meaningful way. This has helped to keep the never ending struggle
to balance work, family, and music while keeping it all enjoyable.
Chris Cuvier- pianist, keyboardist, and
composer- began his formal training which involved traditional classical
repertoire, at the age of eight. Upon his exposure to jazz in his
junior year of high school, his dedication to exploiting the full
tonal and expressive range of the piano was immediately awakened.
Having thoroughly immersed himself in the rich history of jazz piano
and American popular song, after being inducted into The Blur Division
and recognizing the limitless forum for personal expression and
experimentation which it presented, his intense interest in composition
was also sparked. To this day he has continued to investigate the
boundaries of his own imagination and of the sonic palettes available
by combining acoustic and synthesized instruments.
Chris Howard began his study of drumming
at the age of seven under the tutelage of several influential mentors.
After years of devoting himself to mastering the fundamentals of
his instrument, his already enthusiastic commitment to music was
further stimulated upon his introduction to jazz and the legion
of legendary players, past and present, who have established such
a commanding legacy in that genre. His developing interest in musics
from around the world has been the inspiration for his fusing the
drumset with various percussion instruments and effects, yielding
an informed yet unpredictable rhythmic framework. Chris has also
received endorsements from Evans Drumheads, GMS Drum Company, Paiste
Cymbals, and Vater Drumsticks.
Although the influences evident in the music of
The Blur Division are wide reaching and diverse, their surface characteristics
remain secondary to the most significant thread which ties it all
together: the band members' mind set of inclusiveness which has
enabled them to reconcile their own natural impulses with the vast
wealth of information and technologies now instantly available to
them. The band's ultimate goal has been to make stimulating discoveries
concerning their own individual approach to the world of sound,
and in the process make their own singular contribution toward bridging
the already narrowing gaps between the disparate segments of the
global community. And of course, to enlighten and uplift their listeners
while doing so.
© Blur Division
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