"THE BATTLE IS AN ASTOUNDING SYMPHONY COMPRISING ELEMENTS OF EMOTIVE BEAUTY, BRASH CHAOTIC VOLUME AND MOMENTS OF STARKNESS. A HISTORIC RECORDING." Collector's Edition Digipak CD includes BONUS: free autographed poster and one-of-a-kind painting. Jasun Martz, the well known New York artist and composer who has collaborated with art brut master artist Jean Dubuffet, toured with Frank Zappa and even recorded with Michael Jackson (Bad & Dangerous) produced this release and oversaw the remastering. INCLUDES BONUS: 11" x 17" 4-color autographed Jasun Martz poster INCLUDES DOUBLE BONUS: 11" x 17" original acrylic on red rosin paper, signed, one-of-a-kind, Jasun Martz painting Performed by Jasun Martz with The Intercontinental Philharmonic Orchestra Track list: 1. The Battle (Movement 1) Soundscapes / Choir / Mellotron 2. The Battle (Movement 2, 3, 4, 5) Contemporary Classical / Orchestral / Ambient /Tribal / Progressive / Anarchy / Freeform / Percussion 3. The Battle (Movement 6) Soundscapes / Ambient 4. Kinves (previously unreleased outtake) 5. Threshold (previously unreleased outtake) Mellotron / Celestial Pipe Organ6. Drift (previously unreleased outtake) Includes previously released, unreleased and never before heard outtakes. ALBUM NOTES THE BACKGROUND: When composer and performer Jasun Martz was touring with FRANK ZAPPA on his 1977/78 world tour as Frank's synthesizer programmer, Martz was also composing a symphony- THE PILLORY. The avant-garde, contemporary classical, experimental, prog rock, mellotron masterpiece featured over 40 musicians including members of Zappa's band (RUTH UNDER WOOD, EDDIE JOBSON and others). The recording has been released on 5 different labels through the years and is considered a legendary release. In 2005, Martz finally completed his follow-up major symphony THE BATTLE. Members of the 115 member Intercontinental Philharmonic Orchestra recorded their parts on virtually every continent- in cities in every corner of the globe. Utilizing the highest quality 24-bit digital technology, Martz then imported, manipulated and mixed literally thousands and thousands of digital files to create the final work of music. Years ago Martz, an avid fan of Charles Darwin, was following in his hero's footsteps by exploring the Galapagos Islands. Searching for musical inspiration, he then climbed to the refugio on Ecuador's Mount Cotopaxi-the world's tallest active volcano. Perhaps it was the altitude and the lack of oxygen, but when Mr. Martz began to descend the very steep slope, he began to run. He eventually was running and jumping down the mountain so fast, he tripped and began a tumble and slide. "In actuality, I did not slide very far but it was a bit harry there for a while" Martz said. As he lay near the bottom unhurt and laughing, he says he had an epiphany for his second symphony. "Charles Darwin!" Martz explained. "The new symphony would be about the effects of evolution on the earth 200 million years into the future." With an intercontinental theme in mind, Martz returned to New York, and ran classified ads in cities around the world looking for "weird musicians who play weird instruments." "The response was fantastic." Martz said. "I heard from musicians from virtually every continent." Besides traditional orchestral instruments, Martz was looking for unique sounds. A one-of-a- kind instrument called a Crustation- a bowed and plucked stainless steel instrument with brass rods of varying lengths and configurations that rests on balloons was one of his favorites. Now in 2017, as part of the 8 CD box-set retrospective SOLO EXHIBITION, Music Brut Masterworks has remastered and released The Battle [The Third Symphony] -A Retrospective.