Perfect World, the new FWAP CD, features world acclaimed guitarist Joaquin Lievano, former Dixie Dregs bassist Andy West, Johnny Neel on Hammond Organ and Hilary Jones on drums. Johnny is a first rate keyboardist who has played with the Allman Bros., Gov't Mule, Dickey Betts, Blue Floyd and many others. Hilary Jones is a powerhouse drummer who has worked with many acclaimed artists including Lee Ritenour and Robben Ford. The extended seven tracks were beautifully mastered by Jim Brick at Absolute Audio in New York City.

FWAP was formed by Joaquin Lievano and Andy West to create a vehicle for their new music which contrasts with their critically acclaimed band Zazen. At the same time, the music of FWAP is similar in aim, seeking a sense of adventure and imagination. FWAP creates music on the fly with minimal orchestration, employing familiar song structures, counterpoint and live looping patterns that build on each other. "Our goal is to explore the edges of music performance around the concepts of standard song form, rhythm and improvisation. We are finding ourselves paying tribute to our rock roots while still trying to create something new and interesting. It’s working so far..." Be sure to visit FWAP at www.FWAP.net.

Joaquin Lievano - guitar/vocals

Joaquin Lievano first gained international recognition as guitarist with jazz-fusion violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. Performing on several major world tours throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, Joaquin is best known for his electrifying stage performances and exceptionally fine caliber of guitar playing. Guitar Player Magazine says, “Joaquin deftly …keeps a crowd on the edge of their seats.” and Jazziz Magazine was prompted to write, “…some of the best ever heard.”

Born in Bogota, Colombia, he moved to the U.S. with his family at age one and grew up in New York City. A self-taught musician, he played in a variety of rock groups before joining Ponty's groundbreaking band. That three-year association resulted in four albums that frequently feature Joaquin’s guitar work -- the fusion classic Cosmic Messenger, Live, A Taste for Passion, and Civilized Evil. Later, Joaquin worked extensively as a band leader with a list of members that reads like a "who's who" in jazz/fusion and beyond: Terry Bozzio, Steve Smith, Steve Kindler, Sheila E., Airto Moreira, Narada Michael Walden, Jerry Goodman, Simon Phillips and many others. In addition, he toured and recorded with such artists as former Santana keyboardist/ songwriter Tom Coster, and R&B performers Angela Bofill and Stacy Lattisaw.

His interest in electronic music led to the recording of One Mind (Global Pacific/CBS), his acclaimed 1987 solo debut, which stayed on the Radio & Records charts for many weeks in jazz, r&b and new age, and continues to be a popular choice for soundtrack music throughout the world. His second solo recording, Ecologie, was released by Miramar/BMG in January 1996, and was lauded by Billboard magazine for its "gorgeous melodies," "lyricism" and "broad tonal palette”. Lievano placed fourth on the list of the Best 25 Artists of 1996. His work with Andy West in the band Zazen inspired Jazziz Magazine to call Zazen albums “on a par with the best work of such innovators as Tangerine Dream”. Joaquin’s latest venture with his new band FWAP combines the best of his rock, funk, blues and fusion roots, forming the perfect vehicle for his prodigious performing and writing talents. Please visit www.joaquinmusic.com to learn more.

Andy West – bass guitar

West says his musical career can be divided into four phases. First, there was the Dixie Dregs (later just the Dregs) era, which began when he met guitarist Steve Morse in high school in Augusta, Georgia. The two formed a band that played the usual Zeppelin and Cream covers and evolved gradually into the Dixie Dregs. The group released six albums and split up in 1983, when Andy entered his second phase. He spent a few years in Northern California giving bass lessons, doing occasional side projects, and attempting to form his own band. He was introduced to experimental guitarist Henry Kaiser and played in Kaiser's Crazy Backwards Alphabet, which recorded an album and toured California and Western Europe in 1986-'87. During this time he also performed on guitarist Vinnie Moore's Mind's Eye and recorded with Paul Barrere of Little Feat.

Eventually, West met guitarist Joaquin Lievano; the two moved to Los Angeles and formed Zazen, an "eclectic instrumental band." This was the third and longest period of Andy's career. Zazen released over a dozen albums on private labels and produced 4 commercial releases. In 1993, West took a hiatus from Zazen and entered his fourth, current phase. He moved to Chicago, where he formed his own trio. "It was a mix of really interesting heavy, industrial, sampled, chops-oriented stuff," he says. Recent years work has been the recording of the Mistakes' eponymous CD, a reunion of the Dregs that resulted in 1999’s ‘California Screamin’ album, and the Magna carta album “Andy West with Rama” (featuring Rod Morgenstein, Mike Portnoy, Mike Keneally and others). He is fully occupied with the latest incarnation of Zazen and the formation of FWAP with long time associate Joaquin Lievano. Visit Andy online at www.xen.com (parts excerpted from Bass Player Magazine interview by Tom Wictor)

Hilary Jones Johnny Neel

Contact Information
For Bookings Contact One Mind Music at 212 340-9454
Write to FWAP at One Mind Music, P.O. Box 359 Hawthorne, NY 10532
Or Email mail@joaquinmusic.com

Please Visit www.fwap.net, www.joaquinmusic.com, www.xen.com