Reflections of the Sun Pt. 3 (Son Como Sangre) appears on the album Sacred Paths by Asia Jazz Project featuring Molina Soleil & Aju (2009)
Jazz meets Latin Reggae meets sultry Spanish vocals and spoken word poetry on the third Reflection of the Sun, highlighting Aju’s multi-faceted abilities as an vocalist, as well as Asia’s diverse sound.
Asia Fajardo-Wright is an avant-garde saxophonist and composer who leads Asia Jazz Project, plays in the Latin-Reggae band Mono Verde, and writes and produces original cultural and musical productions.
Sacred Paths – Soulaju’s 2009 collaboration with Asia – is very theme-oriented and theatric in its musicality. My hope is that Sacred Paths leads to some experimental modern dance productions in coming years. I would like to see a director/choreographer take Sacred Paths to another level, adding physical movement to these compositions.
Reflections of the Sun Pt. 2 (Life Rituals) appears on the album Sacred Paths by Asia Jazz Project featuring Molina Soleil & Aju (2009)
Listening to Aju’s Life Rituals Reflection I am reminded of the importance of rituals, personally, socially, and culturally. Not so much the Mannequin/mundane rituals of day-to-day life, but the spiritual rituals, love rituals, appreciation of moments that echo the circular and spiraling nature of this life.
Reflections of the Sun Pt. 1 (Solar Flare) appears on the album Sacred Paths by Asia Jazz Project featuring Molina Soleil & Aju (2009)
During weeks 32 – 34 of A.M. Soleil, Retrospectively, I get to write about and reflect on pieces that I did not write or record. Reflections of the Sun parts 1, 2 and 3 were written by Aju, recorded with Asia Jazz Project. These Reflections reflect, compliment, and contextualize my Letters to the Moon.
The Letters to the Moon and Reflections of the Sun explore the cosmic dance between the sun and the moon. This relationship has been revered and celebrated cross-culturally throughout human history. Life on Earth could not exist without the sun or the moon and the solar balance they create on the planet.
SOULAJU spent some time in Trinidad, CO in May and June working with a group of young people connected to a criminal justice “Diversion” program. Good kids, smart and conscious of their surroundings, who got in some minor trouble and luckily evaded more serious problems like juvenile incarceration. These youth meet weekly and have to satisfy a number of requirements to complete the diversion program, including weekly meetings and community service. We had worked with Tony Diego, the diversion program director, on other youth programs through an organization called OYE (Organized Youth for Empowerment). He had an idea for a youth video project with flip cams. We had limited time and funding was also limited, but this is what we came up with after a few trips down to Trinidad: a documentary about youth culture in Trinidad, Colorado:
“Trinidad Undaground”
Our main goals in working with these young people were to empower them to tell their own stories and engage in a process of creating their own media. Before we put cameras in their hands we ran some workshops with them, talking about their experiences, identity, their dreams, life beyond Trinidad, getting them writing their thoughts on paper. The following video is a “making of” look at our work with this group of youth.
I was on a train from Copenhagen, Denmark to Berlin, Germany when I wrote this poem. There was a lot of movement that day, in the waters and in the sky. The colors held me. I watched everything in silence, breathing it all in until it was time to write…
I wrote five Letters to the Moon during a journey through northern Europe in November 2008. Three of these poems became compositions on Sacred Paths.
This Letter was written near a small town maybe 30 miles or so south of Dublin, Ireland. I can’t recall the name of the town, but I remember the day well. I remember the way the pen felt in my hand, the coldness of my fingers as a I scribbled the ocean’s words.
Recorded in Harlem, NY, February 2009. Beat by DJ Ceiba, NYC drummer and producer. Released on My America, benefit compilation for Papers the Movie—a film about undocumented youth. Release Date July 4, 2009.
I walk on through the winter, where all the trees are dying. Behind me, a road of tar and red clay. I reach across the new ocean, borderless in brothels of freedom. A long night awaits us…” – e.g. bailey
(above: image from BP spill in the gulf coast, April 2010)
“Rise Mantra” is the opening track on Sacred Paths, by Asia Jazz Project featuring Molina Soleil & Aju (2009). This is more of a meditation than a song.
The arrival of SOULAJU: Soul flows like water. The long awaited album is finally complete. 15 solid tracks available for $5 mp3 download.
This story has many beginnings. This moment is a culmination of past reflections. The focus is on the Present, in these times, as we shape what will be.
SOULAJU is a fusion of lives, stories, styles, and cultures; this fusion is personal and universal. Each track stands on its own, but the true jewel lies in the journey of the album, start to finish.
In the words of photographer Ric Urrutia, “Soulaju is creative, conscious, energetic, sexy, intellectual, and overall: bad ass.”
The reviews, the hype, and the celebrations will come in waves. The album will soon be distributed by Itunes, Amazon.com, and other major distributors. For now, as independent, community-based artists, we are excited to share this release with our friends, our supporters, and your networks and communities.
Thank you for your support. Please help us spread the word.
The Denver CO-based male/female duo SOULAJU fuses styles, languages, and cultures, carrying a classic but distinct Hip-Hop vibe that meets Neo-Soul and World music influences. Beyond the music SOULAJU (soul-ah-joo) works with inner-city and rural youth, building cross-culturally with artists, organizers, and educators East to West.
Asia Fajardo-Wright is an avant-garde saxophonist and composer who leads Asia Jazz Project, plays in the Latin-Reggae band Mono Verde, and writes and produces original cultural and musical productions. 
