ARS NOVA

Information

Ars Nova is a Japanese Progressive Rock Band.

Members: 92
Latest Activity: Nov 24, 2011

Who is Ars Nova and what makes them so good

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The current members are:

Keiko Kumagai (keyboards)
Shinko "Panky" Shibata (bass)
Hazime (drums)
Satoshi Handa (guitar)

Ars Nova's music features tends to feature keyboards heavily -- this was particularly true between 1998 and 2003 when the band had two keyboardists. Common sounds include the ubiquitous Hammond organ, as well as more recent digital sounds. Almost all of their music is instrumental.

The band's musical influences are ELP, Goblin, PFM, Rick Wakeman, Balletto di Bronzo and classical music. Keiko Kumagai, the keyboardist, writes all the band's compositions. She has played on the Ayreon album Universal Migrator part two: Flight of the Migrator. This band has been for a long time an all-female band, a seldom case in the world of progressive rock.

Band History

1983 : Kyoko Kanazawa (bass), Keiko Thubata (keyboards) and Yumiko Saito (drums) form Ars Nova. The band covers bands such as ELP and Trace.
1986 : Keiko Thubata leaves the band and Keiko Kumagai replaces her, and plays two gigs with the band before leaving for personal reasons.
1991 : The band reforms with Keiko Kumagai on the keyboards.
1992 : Release of Fear and Anxiety
1993 : Yumiko Saito is replaced by Akiko Takahashi on the drums.
1994 : Transi, their second album, is released. It allows the band to be known outside the boundaries of Japan.
1995 : Ars Nova plays a gig for the first time outside Japan, at the Prog Fest '95 festival in Los Angeles, USA.
1996 : The Goddess of Darkness, their third album, is released.
1997 : First gigs in Europe. Kyoko Kanazawa leaves the band in October.
1998 : Release of the album The Book Of the Dead, on which plays a guest bassist, Ken Ishita (ex-Deja Vu). Beginning of a world tour in October with Naomi Miura as a second keyboardist and bass replacement.
2001 : Release of Android Domina, with Mika Nakajima as a second keyboardist.
2003 : Release of Biogenesis Project, an album featuring numerous guest musicians, including Masuhiro Goto (Gerard, Ningen-Isu), who becomes the new drummer of the band, replacing Akiko Takahashi. Mika Nakajima leaves the band and is replaced by the bassist Shinko Shibata. Satoshi Handa begins playing as a guest for live gigs later in the year.
2005 : Drummer Masuhiro Goto leaves the band and is replaced by Hazime. Satoshi Handa becomes a member of the band and will play for the next studio album.

Discography
1992 : Fear and Anxiety
1994 : Transi
1996 : The Goddess of Darkness
1997 : The Six Singular Impressions (compilation)
1998 : The Book Of the Dead
2001 : Android Domina
2001 : Lacrimaria
2003 : Biogenesis Project
2005 : Force for the Fourth -Chrysalis-
2009 : Seventh Hell
2009 : A Very Progressive Christmas - Various Artist Release

Official Website

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Comment by MARIUSZ SOBANSKY on July 30, 2010 at 5:39am: Hello,
I Invite You

LIGHT COORPORATION:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3qw43w7H7c

big greetings!
Mariusz

Comment by Olivier Sapey on February 23, 2010 at 5:24am: superbe , toujours autant d'inspiration !! le must !!!

Comment by Gravity Tree on December 15, 2009 at 1:34pm: Thanks for inviting us to your group. Wow, lots of output, impressive! We're a bit slow on getting our catalog out, but we'll get there too one day...

Comment by Proggirl~Helia on December 13, 2009 at 10:05am: Greetings ARS NOVA,

Pleasure to make your acquaintance!!
Thank you so much for the invite, I really appreciate it. I enjoyed listening to your wonderful music, great sound and atmosphere!! Thanks for sharing your page with me.
Take care of yourselves, may God bless you and your loved ones.
Have an awesome day and an inspiring week ahead!!
With Respect and Admiration.
~H

Comment by Gigantes Gentiles on December 10, 2009 at 9:48pm: Hi, friends: Thanks for the add.

We would like to present your music to our listeners in our radio show "Gigantes Gentiles, la buena música que no se escucha" (in spanish, Wednesday 10PM GMT-3, in www.meperteneceradio.com).

If you want, can send to us via email some songs at meperteneceradio@gmail.com with data about the band.

Thank you very much. Greetings from Argentina,

Quique Quagliano

Comment by helen v.a (prog-fan) on December 9, 2009 at 2:20am: nice to meet you..great music! thank you very mucg for the invite..all the best!

Comment by La Bocca della Verità on December 7, 2009 at 7:40am: Hi do you remember of us? How are you? Welcome in this new fantastic prog adventure!!!

Jimmy!
La Bocca della Verità