WORLD RISING: A GROOVE TOO FAR THE SOUND OF A NEW WORLD RISING - WITH ECHOES OF THE PAST July 20, 2009 (Sherman Oaks, CA) - World Rising, released by Visionsound on August 11, is an innovative and vibrant jazz project from keyboardist Ben Dowling featuring a cast of famous friends from the jazz, funk and world music spheres. A gifted pianist with solid straight ahead jazz, funk and even contemporary-classical credentials, he was a student of Third-Stream advocate Ran Blake at New England Conservatory, a protoge of pianist/composer/jazz-educator Calvin Jackson and shares recording, writing, programming and/or touring credits with Earth, Wind & Fire's Al McKay, Jon Anderson, Don Henley, Yellowjackets, Tom Coster and Freddy Hubbard. A leading light in the field of synthesizer programming, he has created sounds for Korg, Weather Report’s Joe Zawinul, Madonna and the late Michael Jackson. Dowling has focused his most recent project World Rising on a Miles-inspired fusion of jazz, world and funk. Clearly influenced by 70’s-era Zawinul and Herbie Hancock, he has invited an eclectic array of musicians including smooth jazz sensation Mindi Abair, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, master drummer Will Kennedy and Indian tabla player Satnam Ramgotra to create a modal, percussion-rich offering that is as compelling as it is new. Overlaying infectious grooves with piano, keys and horn ensemble ala vintage Hancock, World Rising is a world influenced groove-fest that is funky, ethnic and musi