A bilingual, multi-instrumentalist, creative force of nature, jar-e's sound celebrates the spontaneity of a muse that has led him across the world. These three songs and a capellas are guaranteed to take you right along with him…

Proficient on upright bass, trumpet, piano, and guitar, jar-e’s world-influenced bilingual songs got their start in a five piece jazz-hip-hop outfit named ooloo orchestra. As the band became a fixture of the eclectic Asheville, North Carolina scene, Jar-e formed North of Cuba (NOC) and was introduced to Connecticut-based label, Exotic Recordings. Inspired by his travels throughout Europe, creating and absorbing music from Spain to Greece, he released his debut album Heartache in 2004, a journey through the blues in all its self-taught, self-recorded glory. After spending two years on the road with friend and label-mate J. DiMenna, jar-e began working with Exotic in-house producer Keith “Touch” Saunders on a follow-up album. The result of nearly a year of constant work, War Songs and the Muse is the perfect metamorphosis of his diverse influences -- everyone from Manu Chao and Joao Gilberto to Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder -- into his own sound, which travels from classic ballads reminiscent of Elton John to the forward sounds and sampling of Gnarls Barkley.

This digital DJ promo features three of the best cuts from the album. “Belleza” is a funky, Latin-Jazz influenced composition anchored by a shuffling bassline and offset with hand-clap rhythms. jar-e’s uplifting vocals complement a mélange of live instruments and melodic flourishes to create a truly unique sonic experience. “Hold On” brings a moody, laid back vibe with downtempo drum-breaks, tight instrumentation and sentimental lyricism. And “Sin Lugar” finds Jar-e singing in Spanish over an organic broken-beat punctuated with blasting horns, thick bass, and polyrhythmic percussion. Also included in this promo are the a capella versions of each song, perfect for blending and primed for remixing, as well as the instrumental version of “Belleza.” Coming at you right in time for those outdoor summer gigs, these incredible songs will put the power of the muse right at your fingertips.