Looking past the obvious distinction of coming from an Asian background, the three individuals who comprise the band Parts Per Million - Jay Ro, (vocals, guitar, violin), Josh Park, (bass, guitar), and Esther Na, (keyboards, vocals) - are continuing their journeys of self-discovery, but realize that they need not travel alone.

PPM began as a joint project between frontman Jay Ro and bassist Josh Park who met via mutual friends. Combining Ro’s songwriting along with Park’s audio engineering, the two men formed Parts Per Million and independently produced their self-titled debut. Influences of Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Blink 182, Linkin Park and even shades of J.S. Bach can be heard on the album. Ro’s smooth singing and falsetto are supported by his power guitar hooks and haunting violin while Park’s background as a progressive guitarist has translated into complex, yet catchy basslines and rhythms. Keyboardist Esther Na later joined the band, adding a whole new dimension of sound via her neo-New Wave driving synth (reminiscent of The Killers) to melodic piano lines that reference The Fray.

Over the next several years PPM played shows around the area and became known for their high-energy, catchy-as-all-get-out rock shows. The group placed 3rd from over 100 bands hailing from as far as Dallas and Austin in the 2005 Ultimate Battle of the Bands Showcase, judged by representatives of 94.5 FM The Buzz, Guitar Center, The Meridian club/venue, and Rock 103.7 FM. PPM has also played in large community wide events, such as the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Festival at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, the Alvin Crawfish Festival in Alvin, TX, and the YMCA Skatepark Outing in Richmond, TX.

Currently the group is performing shows around the Houston area. Their 2006 self-produced, self-titled debut album is available for sale online at CDBaby.com and Amazon.com, with the band looking for label and talent representation. Their next album is planned to be recorded and completed by the end of May 2007 with a CD release date in early July later this year.

The members of Parts Per Million are all accomplished musicians: Na has over 15 years playing with music worship teams at churches. Park is a professional audio engineer (10 years experience) and guitarist (20 years of music performance experience). Ro has over 20 years of classical music experience (concertmaster of the Purdue Symphony, winner of the Keller Symphonic Competition) and has 15 years of vocal and guitar experience.

Visit www.partspermillion.com or www.myspace.com/partspermillion for more information on Parts Per Million, news, pics, audio samples, and more. The band can be contacted via email (info@partspermillion.com), phone (281-589-7966), or through myspace.