Doug Hewitt
Picasso Tomato
© 2006 Doug Hewitt (837101176279)
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Electric jazz, art rock and sublime folk. A seamless mosaic from quiet acoustic guitar and violin to symphonic crescendo. Brimming with delicious vocal and instrumental complexity. Passionate, cosmic lyrics. One of CD Baby's top selling jazz-rock albums.
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Picasso Tomato is a jazz/rock album with a high degree of stylistic diversity. I intentionally placed songs of contrast next to each other. Maybe it's for that reason that some reviewers have called Picasso Tomato a "concept album." Others have noted its writing, musicianship and production values. I will say that this album represents three years of my very best work. It is music of the heart and hundreds of studio hours. The painting on the cover reflects the artistic diversity of this CD -like a gallery where each room features a different style: abstract, realist, impressionist... A wide-ranging album with original songs spanning jazz to rock and folk with classical excursions. In addition to my electric and acoustic guitars and voice there's lots of great musicians playing a variety of instruments: violin, saxophone, piano, synthesizer, tons of harmonies, drums, bass and percussion. This is music of the round in a cube world. Or maybe versa-visa. Unexpect the expected.
Thanks to you Picasso Tomato is a success. The response to the lower holiday price has been so great that we are keeping it!
Lyrics and music by Doug Hewitt, Doug: vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, piano & synthesizer. Lyrics by Claudia Rullman on Holes In Heaven, The Man You Need Me To Be & Crystal Ball.
I have been truly fortunate to be able to work with these wonderful musicians on this project: Makaya McCraven: drums, Geoff Vidal: saxophone, Jeff D'Antona & Glen Stegner: piano & synthesizer, Scott Hewitt: bass, Terry Rousso: violin. On Pickled Jam: Bob Hann: Bass, Jaisen Buccellato: electric guitar, Tom Roberts: drums, Paul Kaplan & Lorraine Fox: percussion
It has become less common to include more than one genre or energetic state on a single album. To bookend rock and folk styles between jazz instrumentals can render an album virtually unclassifiable. I have always appreciated diversity and eclecticism in art.
-Doug Hewitt
PUBLISHED REVIEWS:
From instrumental jazz to spacey, vintage psychedelic and lyrical, intimate folk Picasso Tomato blurs boundaries and takes chances. Make sure to check out the beautiful collaboration between Hewitt and lyricist Claudia Rullman.
- Local Buzz Magazine (Sep 1, 2006)
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Doug Hewitt returns with Picasso Tomato and it is well worth the wait. The intricate guitar-based instrumental "Antarian Blues" begins the album and sounds much like the jazz leanings of prime period Bert Jansch or John Renbourn. It is the unusual melding of musical inspirations - from folk to jazz to rock; that makes his music unique. With a pleasing and expressive voice Hewitt crafts sublime love songs to cosmic word-fests. Excellent backing and harmony vocals, saxophone and expansive violin. Mellotron and Hammond keyboards and phase-shifted or fuzzed guitar may put you into a retro mood but Picasso Tomato is firmly rooted in the here and now because of Hewitt and company's sterling playing.
- Dirty Linen Magazine (Jul 6, 2006)
Full of energy and eclectic rhythms and incorporating jazz, folk, rock, orchestra and chamber music, Picasso Tomato is anything but predictable.
Kristina Tedeschi - Hampshire Gazette (Jul 28, 2006)
This is Doug's most ambitious album to date. The former Zen Cats leader fuses jazz, blues, folk and rock styles into a seamless mosaic with intricate lyrics and strong vocals.
- Sessions Webzine (Aug 9, 2006)
reviews
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One of my favorite albums
author: Josh PelinPicasso Tomato has been in and out and back in my CD player for almost a year now. I just wanted to write to tell you what a great album this is! The songs are imaginative and deep. The musicianship is stellar. The lyrics and vocals are topnotch. And the guitar, saxophone and violin solos totally rock. I'm giving this album 5 stars.
powerful cd on many levels
author: JenniferJust listen to jazzy, rock music. Or delve into the many layers of instruments and vocals, not to mention the incredible lyrics that really mean something. Anyway you look at it (or listen to it) it's great.
A stunning, powerful, serious concept album.
author: Todd HablaUnbelievably heavily profoundly pithily electrically rockingly great stuff. Beautiful writing and playing; equally beautiful production values. The power and sheen of "Holes in Heaven" ("what do you exist for?") brought tears to my eyes. It's not lightweight stuff; an album that demands attention and thought for its sense of wonder and regret, cosmic consciousness and human pain. It's the most moving and thought-provoking thing I've heard in a long time. BUY IT, know you've supported a great artist with a few measley bucks ... and keep listening!
Easy listening, except when exciting; it all makes you listen-up.
author: Jacques WerthEasy listening, except when exciting; it all makes you want to listen-up. Fusion of many idioms, some familiar, some new - all good listening.
Picasso Tomato is a magnum opus!!!
author: CaseyAwesome music. Walks the fine line between rock and jazz. Incredible detail in every song, without being overdone or overproduced. The lyrics actually make sense, which is rare in music these days. Everthing just fits together. It's great music, all the way through!! My favorites are Antarian Blues and Crystal Ball. Picasso Tomato is pretty cool too. But they're all great!!