Throbbing bass and thudding beats are the signatures of this project from drummers Michael Travis and Jason Hann. Born out of their shared love of electronic dance music, EOTO’s M.O. is to take the free-wheeling party vibe of a DJ set to the next level by using organic instruments, innovative performance technology, and uncharted musical exploration. Live drums, guitars, and keys, and vocals are mixed, remixed, and sampled on the fly using cutting-edge programs. This is all done without a script, and without a net.

Hann plays a hyper EQ’d drumkit, chock full of multi-touch screens and MIDI controllers, and throws a number of effects on his otherworldly vocal styles. Travis takes on subsonic frequencies, generating the band’s crushing low end with analog, digital, and software synthesizers, occasionally picking up guitar or a bass guitar and showing off his proficiency with instruments of all shapes and sizes.

Hann, has been playing percussion professionally since the age of 12. Years of collaborating, touring, and recording with the likes of Youssou N’Dour, Isaac Hayes, Dr. Dre, Loreena McKinnett, SCI, and a slew of other established artists running the gamut from Latin jazz to R ‘n’ B and soul allows him to move fluidly between styles. Adding to this is his depth in African and Latin drumming traditions, allowing the futuristic EOTO sound to keep itself rooted in the past.

For the last 16 years, Travis has been the drumming octopus in SCI. He morphs roles to melodic multi-instrumentalist in EOTO, providing the raw basslines and harmonic tapestry that fill out the soundscape of the duo. Both Hann and Travis have the chops and stamina for physically demanding, EOTO improvised sets, which have been known to go upwards of 4 straight hours.

“When we’re playing live for 3 hours a night, it’s like playing tribal drums in a ceremony,” Hann explains. “I’m looking at one person at a time out there, and thinking “what can I do to make you dance?”

Hann and Travis play almost 200 shows a year, together, EOTO has played more than seven hundred unique showcases in 48 different states in the five years since the project’s inception. Each set is recorded and released (www.livedownloads.com) so fans can capture their unique EOTO dance throwdown, reliving the experience again and again.

TOUR DATES INCLUDE:
21-Sep-10 Moe’s Alley Santa Cruz, CA
22-Sep-10 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA
23-Sep-10 Music Box Los Angeles, CA
24-Sep-10 103 Harriet San Francisco, CA
25-Sep-10 Wurk Reno, NV
26-Sep-10 Blu Nightclub South Lake Tahoe, NV
28-Sep-10 McNear’s Mystic Theatre Petaluma, CA
29-Sep-10 Arcata Theatre Arcata, CA
30-Sep-10 Wow Hall Eugene, OR
1-Oct-10 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
2-Oct-10 Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room Seattle, WA
8-Oct-10 Bourbon Theatre Lincoln, NE
9-Oct-10 The Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
15-Oct-10 Granada Theater Dallas, TX
16-Oct-10 La Zo Na Rosa Austin, TX
31-Oct-10 The Granada Lawrence, KS
2-Nov-10 2720 Cherokee St.Louis, MI
3-Nov-10 The Canopy Club Urbana, IL
4-Nov-10 Majestic Live Madison, WI
5-Nov-10 Epic Minneapolis, MN
7-Nov-10 The Intersection Grand Rapids, MI
8-Nov-10 Blind Pig Anne Arbor, MI
9-Nov-10 Rex Theater Pittsburgh, PA
10-Nov-10 Tralf Music Hall Buffalo, NY
11-Nov-10 The Westcott Theater Syracuse, NY
12-Nov-10 Higher Ground Burlington, VT
13-Nov-10 Port City Music Hall Portland, ME
17-Nov-10 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
19-Nov-10 Brooklyn bowl Brooklyn, NY
20-Nov-10 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
23-Nov-10 Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY
25-Nov-10 Southbound Knoxville, TN
-###-

Pushing the sonic envelope from the dance floor to the bedroom, The Heavy Pets vinyl gleefully takes the listener on a journey that varies in both sonic and emotional texture. Overflowing with expert musicianship, unexpected musical turns, and masterful pacing of songs; the follow up release also boasts a cameo appearance with high-profile guest star, John Popper of Blues Traveler, courtesy of Verve Records.

Looking to produce the highest quality recording possible, The Heavy Pets teamed up with some of the industry’s best production and engineering talents. The vinyl lacquers were cut by the legendary Doug Sax, founder of The Mastering Lab. The album was produced by Multi-Platinum award winning producer Scott Mathews and was mastered by two time Grammy Award winning mastering engineer Vlado Meller of Universal Mastering Studios. With each passing year the band continues to break ground by embracing cutting edge technology, while working towards preserving the buoyant sound of analog recording.

Since 2005, the band has built their reputation as a live tour-de-force through years of nationwide touring and three successful previous releases including their acclaimed freshman double-disc studio release, Whale. The band will kick off the first leg of their national fall tour on the east coast with select dates in the south before heading back to their home stomping grounds in Florida to finish off the decade. The new self titled album and vinyl from The Heavy Pets is now available through Amazon.com, iTunes, and the band’s web site www.theheaveypets.com.

ON TOUR NOW
September 1 :: 40 Watt – Athens, GA
September 2 :: The Buckhead Theatre – Atlanta, GA
September 3 :: The 8X10 – Baltimore, MD
September 9 :: Harpers Ferry – Allston, MA
September 10 :: Catskill Chill Music Festival – Hancock, NY
September 11 :: Sullivan Hall – New York, NY
September 15 :: Jillian’s – Albany, NY
September 16 :: The Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
September 22 :: El Alamo – Key West, FL
September 23 :: El Alamo – Key West, FL
September 24 :: The Green Parrot – Key West, FL
September 25 :: The Green Parrot – Key West, FL
October 2 :: Folk Fest St. Pete – St. Petersburg, FL
October 16: The Pour House – Charleston, SC
October 30 Southern Monster Mash – Pompano Beach, FL
November 10-14 :: Bear Creek Art and Music Festival – Live Oak, FL
November 19: Tobacco Road – Miami, FL

The Everyone Orchestra returns to Colorado for a four night run beginning September 16. Conductor Matt Butler will facilitate the musical improvisation of an unrivaled all-star cast including Steve Kimock on guitar, Jeff Sipe (Leftover Salmon, Trey Anastasio Band) on drums, Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band) on trumpet and vocals, Trevor Garrod (Tea Leaf Green) on keys, Michael Kang (SCI) on violin and mandolin, Mike Sugar (Jambay) on bass, Chuck Morris (Lotus) on percussion and YOU.

How do you fit into the Everyone Orchestra? The fully improvised performance is the brainchild of founder Matt Butler, who incorporates the skill set of the assembled all-star line up with the voices and sounds of the audience for an energetic and participatory musical experience. Literally an orchestra where everyone in the room takes part, the Everyone Orchestra brings together its own brand of musical improvisation that must be experienced to be believed!

The concept was developed by Butler, who looks to the local community he is performing in to play the supporting role. Together, with an arsenal of local and national talent, who are often performing together for the first time, the orchestra will embark on an improvised adventure directed by cue cards and animated motions.

The four-night traveling event will kick off at Hodi’s Half Note in Fort Collins on Sept 16th and will continue to Quixotes True Blue (formerly Owsleys) on September 17th – Sunday September 19th. The Sunday, September 19th performance is billed as an intimate happy hour set on the outdoor patio stage, weather permitting.

Advance tickets for the Fort Collins are available at http://www.hodishalfnote.com/ an for Denver at http://www.frontgatetickets.com. For more information about the event check out Everyone Orchestra

ON TOUR:
Featuring Kimock, Jeff Sipe, Jennifer Hartswick, Michael Kang, conductor Matt Butler and more!
Sept 16 Hodi’s Half Note – Fort Collins, CO
Sept 17-19 Quixote’s – Denver, CO

Mimosa has made a distinct mark on the west coast sound in the past two years and has become one of the top west coast exports. This young producer’s energy whilst performing is magnetic; the word has spread fast and Mimosa has recently shared the stage with the likes Benga, Skream, Rusko, Datsik, Glitch Mob, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar and Flying Lotus, playing shows across the US and festivals like Coachella, Symbiosis Gathering, Burning Man and Decibel Festival. Fans know Mimosa as someone who brings a good-time energy that is as fierce as it is friendly, taking them on journeys through urban chaos and ecstasy.

Since 2007 MartyParty has produced sets of original music that range from melodic instrumental hip hop to bassline oriented dubstep. MartyParty has started a movement back towards the power of the melody and the harmony in electronic composition. Song writing has always been Marty’s passion instead of the typical beat style dj production. The music is a hybrid of electronic music and hip hop that together form a totally new flavor of urban beat with the hypnotic elements of electronic music and hard-hitting bass. The MartyParty live performance is an intense journey that pulls together the MartyParty songs overlaid with urban samples triggered live. The result is a true “crunky” and “hyphy” experience like no other.

Together the artists will bring earth shattering bass and driving beats to select west coast venues this fall. For more information about the artists check out: EOTO, MiMOSA and MartyParty
READ MORE

Crank It Online

The current lineup consisting of Jeff Lloyd (guitar), Mike Garulli (guitar), Jim Wuest (keyboards), Justin Carney (bass), Jaime Newitt (drums) are all exceptional musicians, and even share vocal duties when necessary. They do a superb job of blending excellent harmonies, blues riffs, hip-hop, and straight up rock n’ roll to create a familiar sound that frankly no one can turn down.

Whether it’s the pop-melodies of the opening track “Drenched”, the 70s-ish rhythm and blues ballad “Grace Blix”, or the Flobots-like rap and rock tune “Lazy Ana”, this self-titled project is full of catchy hooks and pleasing songs.

The band also displays wonderful vocal range on the gritty “How Would I”, and show off their jazz chops on the groovy “Spin Round”.

Although the band is best known for their fiery live performances, they are obviously comfortable in the studio as well. Each song is well-produced and radio-friendly. It would not be surprising to hear the reggae-infused, sun-splashed “No More Time” making the rounds on adult alternative and college radio stations soon.

The group is hard to classify with so many styles they draw upon, but the bottom line is that the Heavy Pets are downright fun. Get in line with this up-and-coming band so you can tell your friends you were into these guys before they made it big.
READ MORE

The Grateful Web, Tim Hurley

LoveLiveMusic.com

READ MORE

Live Music Shots

Randomville, Eran Afner

Michael Kang will be part of the Allstar Jam
The Electric Avenue Festival, which is slated to take place over Labor Day weekend on the streets of Historic Five Points in Downtown Denver, has just announced their two-day schedule. The event will highlight over 22 live bands on two stages, arts and crafts vendors, outdoor beer and liquor tents as well as food booths representing the best in Colorado eatery. And, at a price of only $65 for a two-day pass or $130 for a two-day VIP Pass, it may be the most exciting and definitely the most affordable event in Colorado for music goers over the holiday.

Taking place on Sept 4th and 5th the event features a stellar line up of independent live music including Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Living Legends, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Pnuma Trio and even a Michael Jackson Tribute band aptly named “Who’s Bad” among others.

The newly revitalized Five Points district is seeing an amazing surge in artistic and retail growth over the last few years. With a dramatic drop in crime and a bustling music scene developing under the new management at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, their self-produced outdoor event is just one of many signs of transformation in this quaint historic neighborhood.

Event organizers are expecting over 4,000 people during the two day event which will feature an array of musical styles from Rock, Jam, Jazz/Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Bluegrass and Experimental music genres. Event participants will find ample parking and an urban festival environment that is so close to the heart of the city, area residents are encouraged to bike ride to the event grounds or take the Light Rail directly to festival gates.

The two-day and three-night event will take place between September 3-5th on Welton St. between 26th and 27th Streets as well as inside Cervantes’ and The Other Side, with music starts at 1PM each day and a kick-off party featuring Who’s Bad – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band taking place on Friday, September 3rd.

Tickets are available:
Online: www.cervantesmasterpiece.com
Cervantes’ Box Office: 2637 Welton Street Denver 80205
By Phone: 303.297.1772

READ MORE

Coming to fruition during late-night experimental jam sessions at Travis’ humble abode, the idea soon snowballed amid a youthful curiosity each had with the latest technology and pioneering acts emerging from the depths of the underground scene.

With over 600 start-from-scratch performances under their belt during the last four years, Travis and Hann still found enough time to release three studio albums (Elephants Only Talk Occasionally (2006), Razed (2008), Fire the Lazers!!! (2009)) and two compilations (K-Turns & U-Turns Vol. 1: Fall Tour Complilation 2008 (2009), K-Turns & U-Turns Vol. 2: Best of 2009 (2010)).

Baring witness to them recently at the Nateva Music Festival, I was awestruck: “The calming, yet claustrophobic electronica presence of EOTO pulls eyes wide open, in awe of a glimpse of not only possibility and grandeur, but also the evolution of mankind. Their futuristic beats, paying homage to our ancestors, echo off sacred land with a howl to creation and its greatest assets- humanity, rhythm, and dance.”

Garret K. Woodward: What is EOTO?

Jason Hann: An all-live and all-improvised electronica band made up of [myself] and Michael Travis. We play electronic club music, going through styles such as dubstep, electro, and house.

GKW: What does improvisational music mean to you?

JH: The musical equivalent of jumping off a cliff and seeing where you end up. Musical risk.

GKW: What was your first encounter with improvisational music? When was the first time you yourself played improvisational music?

JH: I’ve seen my dad play improvised music since I was able to comprehend stuff. I was around 11 when I remember trying to make anything up in the context of a performance.

GKW: What influence did electonica have on the String Cheese Incident?

JH: Seems like it’s been around since Kang and Travis have been going to Burning Man. That was some of the inspiration for introducing acts like STS9 and Bassnectar to a larger jam-band audience. There are definitely some SCI songs like “Rivertrance”, “Valley of the Jig”, and “Bump and Reel” that are electronic inspired. Many jams from songs like “Big Shoes” and “Desert Dawn” lean towards an electronica vibe.

GKW: What influence does the String Cheese Incident have on EOTO?

JH: Creating an atmosphere where people from all different backgrounds can gather to rage it together.

GKW: What lured you towards an electronica project? What do you love about electronica?

JH: When we would do late-night jams at Travis’ house, we set up all sorts of different things to play as a duo and just have fun. Eventually Travis started using some looping pedals that he had and it felt better to play electronic grooves against them. I suggested this program called Ableton Live, which gives you so much control over each looped track. Once we started diving into that, it gave us inspiration to try and play as a live project.

GKW: How does the dynamic of only two members affect the band’s approach? Will it always be two members?

JH: It will always be two members. It works so good having Travis be in charge of the harmonic information and me being in charge of the rhythmic information. We don’t have to signal each other for key changes or groove changes, only tempo changes. This lets us listen to each other while diving into our own worlds of gear and moving on to new themes at a good pace. It’s all about the pace.

GKW: EOTO started as a side project, but now has taken on a life of its own. Did you intent for it to get as big and as hectic of a never-ending tour as its become?

JH: We were hurting when we first played out. We weren’t very good and we didn’t have a distinct sound. We tried to imitate acts like STS9, Tipper, and Bassnectar as we liked their music and that was the scene we wanted to reach out to. When we first played, there weren’t that many people that showed up to check us out. Of those people, lots of them were curious SCI fans that were turned off by seeing a laptop on stage, and, again, we weren’t very good. We didn’t have our publicity together so we weren’t getting the word out very well eithter. We knew that the only way for us to get better and create our own crowd was to just keep touring and play every night. 600 plus shows later, in four years, we feel like we found our sound and our audience and still have a hunger to get better and keep evolving.

GKW: It seems you will play anywhere, anytime. I look at the tour itinerary and it’s literally every venue from coast to coast. Why do you prefer a tour schedule like that? What do you like about playing these little known or off-the-beaten-path venues?

JH: We realize we evolve faster the more we play. After two weeks of playing every night, we’re going to sound different. Many people comment after seeing us at the beginning of a tour and at the end of a tour and notice all of the new things we’ve incorporated into our sound. Playing the off-the-beaten-path venues are great because it becomes an x-factor for us. Usually those places don’t have bands come through all of the time, so the people that know about it are more excited to spread the word so that some kind of scene can come from the opportunity. That usually creates an explosive vibe from note one. Playing places like Aberdeen, South Dakota and Fargo, North Dakota and Oklahoma City and Key West have been some of our most frenzied shows.

GKW: What do you like about playing a small venue? What about playing a late-night set at a festival?

JH: Small venues with a decent sound system is more the category we like. When the sound is good, it doesn’t matter where we’re playing, we’re usually able to get off on that. Late-night festival action is just such a party waiting to happen. People have been raging but the late-night is where they get everything else out. That’s usually where they empty the tank before sleeping. If you do a good show, it comes back to you tenfold.

GKW: What’s on the horizon for you guys?

JH: New recordings and hopefully expanding our regular tour scenario oversees to Japan, Europe, and South America.

GKW: What affect does EOTO have on the future of the String Cheese Incident?

JH: Not as much from the touring standpoint. From a musical standpoint, some of the jams may want to go into some of the styles that we cover in EOTO. Not like we’re trying to do more of it in the course of a a night, but when we do, it may take on a different flavor.

GKW: How do you stay relevant in the electronica industry, an industry which is often overrun and sometimes a very diluted genre?

JH: That’s the best part about improvising live. Electronic music is pretty disposable. There are very few songs that retain a life of more than a few years or even a few months. When we’re improvising, we’re putting out music in a rapid fire way that is inspired by what we’re listening to at the time. When we first heard dubstep, we tried it the next show we played. As long as we keep our ears open and keep developing our own sound, we stay more relevant than a producer who may not feel comfortable producing anything out of his or her style at the time.

GKW: What’s going through your head when your onstage, in that sweaty, chaotically climatic musical moment?

JH: I’m thinking, “What’s the next thing we can do to make the people dance harder?”, “What’s the next transition that’s going make people lose their minds?”, “What’s the next groove that’s gonna keep the people going?”.

GKW: What’s you state of mind right now?

JH: Anticipation

READ MORE

The RFW, Garret K. Woodward