Reverend Zen Receives 3 Best Song Nominations in 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards(http://www.prweb.com:80/releases/2007/11/prweb565678.htm)

New York's Reverend Zen garners three Best Song Nominations in the 14th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards.

Katonah, NY (Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) November 2, 2007 -- The New York based rock/jazz/blues group Reverend Zen has now received three Best Song Nominations in the 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards for their songs "Dangerous Times" (AC/AAA Category), "Don't Try To Tell Me" (AC/AAA Category) and "Bad Attitude" (Blues Category).

"Dangerous Times", "Don't Try To Tell Me" and "Bad Attitude" are all from Reverend Zen's debut cd Angels, Blues & the Crying Moon. The release has brought the band five Runner Up Awards, along with a Finalist Award from the 2006 VH1 Song of the Year Contest for "Dangerous Times" (AC/AAA Category). In the 2007 Unisong International Song Contest the group received two Finalist Awards for "Bad Attitude" (Blues Category) and "Magdalena" (Lyric Category).

"We believe in what Reverend Zen and their music is all about.", states Joyce Marie Morrin, Promotions Director of AAA station WRRW 100.7FM in Williamsburg, Va. Music Director Eric Cohen of Jazz and Blues formatted WAER 88.3FM in Syracuse, N.Y. adds, "Reverend Zen's Angels, Blues & the Crying Moon is an amazing album with cross over appeal and some incredible musicians to boot." John Schoenberger of Billboard's Radio and Records in Los Angeles summarizes, "Reverend Zen's Angels, Blues and the Crying Moon is simply a very good record and should impact AAA radio."

All songs on Angels, Blues and the Crying Moon were written by Reverend Zen bandleader Jack Evans, a 2007 ASCAP Plus Award winner, and his co writer James Gerard. The cd features a group of musicians who've performed with Donald Fagen, Sting, Annie Lennox, John Scofield, Elvis Costello, David Sanborn, Shawn Colvin, B.B. King, John Mayer and Bruce Springsteen.

The 14th annual Los Angeles Music Awards take place Nov. 29th at the Music Box Theatre in Los Angeles.

The New York based group Reverend Zen has released its debut album, Angels, Blues & the Crying Moon, on the independent label Blakjak Music. A Best Song Nominee in the Los Angeles Music Awards and a Finalist in the prestigious VH1 Song of the Year Contest for “Dangerous Times”, their thought provoking ode of misguided machismo, the band seamlessly blends rock, jazz and R&B into their own singular vision. VH1 comments, “Listening to these songs you’re drawn in by their unique, vivid mirrors of human nature and emotion. Their lyrics and arrangements have the power to make you remember both the songs and their performances. This music is straight from the heart, with stand out guitar that’s perfectly executed and first rate production.”

Such substance and precision has been honed over time with the band writing and recording the album over a ten year period. You’ll hear this dedication and attention to detail in each exacting lyric and every well executed chord change. “Bandleader Jack Evans blends strong song writing with obviously accomplished musicianship.” remarks Rich Lepescu of Nebula Music Magazine. These are always timeless qualities in music and Reverend Zen not only reminds us of Steely Dan’s cleverness and the listen ability of Sting but they also touch upon the catharsis of introspection heralded by the singer/songwriters. These traits and more are evident on the band’s slamming shuffle “The Boston Shakedown”, with its roguish twists and turns, and in the dark beauty of love lost on “Don’t Try To Tell Me” and “The One In Love”.

Reverend Zen’s musical credentials are beyond question. The group’s musicians have a history of playing with the music greats, ranging from Eric Clapton and Bruce Springsteen to Sheryll Crow, Donald Fagen, John Scofield, Elvis Costello, Shawn Colvin and John Mayer. The band’s sound pays tribute to these influences, but also pushes musical boundaries mixing the funk laden wit of “Bad Attitude” and the burning “Boy Genius,” with the classic rock sound of “Magdalena” and it’s folk tale of love found.

“Our influences span several genres,” says Evans, who names Miles Davis, James Brown, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan, Sting and Claude Debussy among their favorites. “Still all of them inspire us with their spirit, eloquence and craft. They all seem to express themselves with conviction and humanity.” he concludes. Strands of Debussy and Mitchell can be heard flowing through Reverend Zen’s impressionistic ballad of love in question, “Only A Fool”, with the band again bridging musical idioms.

Such rich musical backgrounds coupled with their distinctive writing has helped Reverend Zen quickly gain a reputation for thought provoking lyrics and no holds barred rhythms. Those qualities are never more evident than on their rocking, Enquirer like tales of an amusing psychotic “My Sigmund Freud” and “Her Love”, their haunting portrait of a woman’s emotional damage. It’s music for the thinking man’s head. Critics seem to agree. To date the band has won twenty four awards in the VH1, Billboard, Mid Atlantic Song Contest’s ac, rock, jazz, R&B, lyric categories, a Best Performance nod from L.A.’s highly regarded Unisong International Contest, accolades from the U.K.’s Singer/Songwriter Awards and a Best Song nomination in the upcoming 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards.

Resumes and platitudes aside Reverend Zen’s true genius lies in its music, and Angels, Blues & the Crying Moon is everything a great album should be. Melodies that hang in your head like an old friend. Lyrics of wit, introspection and cultural commentary. Dead on drum tracks, bad ass guitar solos and subtleties that slowly reveal themselves.

Ten years in the making, Angels, Blues, & the Crying Moon was worth the wait and looks set to take Reverend Zen’s mix of rock, jazz and r&b to the world stage.

Contact Details:
Reverend Zen Music: 111
Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536
(914)232-8946
email: revjackzen@optonline.net;
website: www.reverendzenmusic.com;
Blakjak Music Records & Anamosa Songs Publishing ASCAP: use above address;
Reverend Zen epk at: sonicbids.com;
myspace.com/reverendzenmusic;
Also available at: cdbaby.com; iTunes; amazon.com

Learn more about Reverend Zen... reverendzenmusic.com  www.myspace.com/reverendzenmusic