Guitarist Pascal Bokar Releases New Single “Sunrise” | LISTEN!
Bebop jazz guitarist Pascal Bokar plays a different tune at “Sunrise”
He wrote his first contemporary jazz single with Billboard chart-topping producer Greg Manning.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (23 OCTOBER 2025): No matter what chaos or crisis may be occurring, the dawn of a new day brings with it the promise of a fresh start. Tuning into the global desire for hope and optimism, award-winning jazz guitarist Pascal Bokar teamed up with hitmaker Greg Manning to cowrite and produce the new AfroBlueGrazz Records single, “Sunrise,” which is currently collecting airplay and playlist adds.
Bokar’s first entry in the contemporary jazz sphere, “Sunrise” is enriched with his joyous and cheerful spirit. Each note etched from his electric jazz guitar on the jovial R&B instrumental groove permeates bright and buoyant anticipation, positivity, and enthusiasm for what lays ahead. Manning fittingly augmented the track with distinctive African percussion fostering authenticity. Bokar’s dexterous guitar play is reminiscent of George Benson while the song’s radiant glow invokes Bill Withers’ smile inducing “Lovely Day.”
“The inspiration behind ‘Sunrise’ was to write a song that would be a metaphorical bridge that could speak to our collective resilience and hopes for new beginnings and opportunities. I saw and heard in ‘Sunrise’ a musical bridge and a call to the spirituality of our collective humanity and the emergence and transformation of one’s self in the rise of the morning sun in the African savanna,” said Bokar who was born in Paris, France and raised in Mali and Senegal, West Africa where his first instruments included the ngoni (West African banjo) and balafon (West African xylophone).
“Pascal Bokar’s profound understanding of music, particularly jazz, provides him with a unique artistic perspective. His African heritage is evident in his compositions and guitar performances. As a producer, I was delighted to bring these elements to the forefront,” said Manning who produced, wrote, and played on more than a dozen Billboard No. 1 hits and received GRAMMY® recognition for his work on albums by Herb Alpert and Keb Mo.
Bokar is also an esteemed academic and author who recently published his fourth book entitled “Jazz: Culture and Social Justice Soundtrack of America’s Art Form.” His studies began at the National School of Arts in Dakar, Senegal and at the National Conservatory of Nice in France. While attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Bokar received the Jim Hall Jazz Master Award for guitarists. He earned his master’s degree from Cambridge College and his doctorate degree from the Graduate School of Education at the University of San Francisco where he presently teaches.
Among the bebop jazz greats with whom Bokar has performed is legendary trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (who later bestowed the guitarist with an Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award), trumpet master Donald Byrd, and drummer Donald “Duck” Bailey. Bokar released his debut album, “Beyond the Blue Sky,” in 1994 and to date, and has released seven albums. DownBeat magazine named 2015 “Guitar Balafonics” one of the best albums of the year. Bokar is listed in Scott Yanow’s book “The Great Jazz Guitarists: The Ultimate Guide.” This month, Bokar will be in Las Vegas to work on his next contemporary jazz single and plans to release his first contemporary jazz album next year.
For more information, please visit https://pascalbokar.com.
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