--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COBBLESTONE JAZZ TOUR
Feb 22nd Denver, CO - Warehouse
Feb 23rd Seattle, WA - Nectar
Feb 26th Vancouver, BC - Plaza Club
Feb 28th New York, NY - Cielo
Feb 29th Los Angeles, CA - King King
“Dance music doesn't get much more psychedelic than this” -Pitchfork
"The quintessential molders of jazz-tech" -XLR8R
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23 SECONDS is the debut album from acclaimed live band COBBLESTONE JAZZ (Matthew Jonson, Danuel Tate & Tyger Dhula). Fusing techno and jazz styled improvisation in fresh new ways this trio have made a name for themselves with stunning live shows at events like Sonar, the Montreux Jazz Festival and this years Mutek Festival.
The unique trio Cobblestone Jazz uses early computers and analog instruments to create paired down sounds that retain the quality of improvisational jazz but with a techno dancefloor aesthetic. Through a real time exchange of musical form, language, and ideas, the Canadians Mathew Jonson, Tyger Dhula, and Danuel Tate provide a continual sense of excitement and discovery for their audience.
Each member of Cobblestone Jazz is a successful musician and producer in their own right and the influence of each individual contributes greatly to the international success of the group. Tyger Dhula’s history as a DJ and producer of electronic music provides the stylistic platform for the group’s improvisations with his ability to break grooves up into their key elements, holding the music firmly within the electronic music tradition. Mathew Jonson brings a fervent commitment to pushing his music in new directions, as well as the gifted ability to mix and compose freely. Using analog drum machines and synthesizers as his instruments of choice, Mathew chooses to write and record his contributions in the moment, as opposed to settling for pre-configured patterns. Danuel Tate is the jazz musician and performer who prompted this approach to the group’s writing practices. His keyboard playing shows a rich understanding of modern harmony and melody but, like many great artists, his dedication to simplicity is what holds him in such high regard.
Cobblestone have received critical acclaim since their 2002 debut release on underground label ItIsWhatItIs, with support coming from artists in all walks of electronic music; from Gilles Peterson and Theo Parish to Daniel Bell and Richie Hawtin. The last few years have seen them perform everywhere from fabric in London and Panorama Bar in Berlin to Mutek in Montreal and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. As a representation and celebration of how they make music, a Cobblestone Jazz performance showcases the musical outfit as a pragmatic and responsive unit, a living and breathing creation free of formulaic sequence, and offering one captivating perspective on the future of electronic music itself.
23 Seconds is a highly anticipated mile marker for Cobblestone. It not only marks the first time the bands tracks are available on CD, but it also documents the improvisational talent that many who have experienced their organic live sets have come to know. It is that very evolution that their live show takes on that is echoed in the sequencing of 23 Seconds. From the sparse album opening “Waiting Room,” to closer “W” which is perhaps the most uncharacteristic of the tunes on the album, drawing its influences from early trance, the album grows into itself throughout the 10 tracks. At times exploring its more minimal tendencies, and at other times unleashing itself into a glitchy house frenzy. By 23 Seconds end, it becomes apparent that these are the musings of a mature group well aware of its unique organic take on the state of electronic music.
The added bonus second disc features a live set recorded in Madrid earlier this year and two Cobblestone classics (which have only previously been out on vinyl). “Dump Truck” was the standout hit of last year and the first release on their own Wagon Repair label. Simple percussion loops & non-sequenced synth provide a base, while a delayed Rhodes solo delivers a funk-fused groove. Finally the stunning “India In Me” pulls us back to earth, submerging us deep in the ocean as electronic whales sing to each other in an undulating groove that is unmistakably Cobblestone Jazz.
23 Seconds is a Double CD.
Disc 1: Ten track album including new single "Lime In Da Coconut"
Disc 2: Bonus disc - Live in Madrid + past singles "Dump Truck"/ "India in Me."
