Spinoza Gambit - Wayward & Upward

Webpage: http://www.spinozagambit.com

Location: Leuven, , Belgium

Description:

 

Electronic music that combines grooves and rhythms derived from contemporary dance music with melodic, harmonic, and structural elements more reminiscent of classical music, minimalism, and jazz.

 

Press Release:

Since Jason Hayward released his debut Spinoza Gambit album, “Wayward & Upward,” in 2010, he has been acquiring fans from around the world from Turkey to South Korea to Mexico. His next album, “Calling All Co-Conspirators,” will contain ten more tracks of entirely original electronic music. Producer Rich Blenkinsopp is working closely with Jason to create the feel of this new album, which continues to draw on Jason’s training in jazz and classical music. Each track combines experimental elements with contemporary dance music. “Grand Schemes,” another album in the works, is more improvisational, with strong hooks and themes running through pieces that bring in acoustic instruments and range in style from electronic blues to dance.

Jason has a degree in music, and he has been composing, producing, and performing various genres on about a dozen instruments since the 1990s. Last year, he played keys for popular Canadian band The Idlers on their national tour, which dipped into the northern US. Electronic music inspired by the Chemical Brothers and Philip Glass, among others, has remained his first love. He has received local and international press, and received favorable reviews for live performances as well as for “Wayward & Upward.” The tracks “Neon Skyline” and “Prodigal Moon” have been picked up by several internet radio stations, and the latter featured on Vents Magazine’s INFEST compilation, released last December. A few other tracks have been selected for licensing by different companies.

A European tour is in the works for the fall, followed by a US tour early in 2013. These plans remain flexible, as Jason and his manager work to maximize the effectiveness of promotional activities and performances. Currently, Jason is working on the score for a CBC documentary and an independent short film.

 

Biography:

 

The name Spinoza Gambit is the child of Jason's flirtation with chess, philosophy, and wordplay. One of his early influences was the Chemical Brothers, and he has been described as "a more raw Parov Stelar" (Justin Bélanger).

After a three-year stint in South Korea and some time spent hiding out in Calgary, Jason returned home to the St. John's scene to seriously face the music inside him. When he’s not hanging out on the porch with his feline friends from around the neighbourhood, he works with several bands, including Robot Scout.

Jason likes to bring an element of improv to his work, whether live or recorded, electronic or other, and welcomes feedback on all aspects of his music and creative life.