jobeyer.com

"TONY" issue is published by arttourist.com and visitjazz.com as print and online magazin. Dedicated to drummer Tony Williams. (Cover: Jo Beyer © M. Schrodt / mschrodt.de)

Jo Beyer (*1991) is a German drummer, producer and composer, who reached and delighted a wide audience across the globe with his unique and energetic manner of playing drums, composing and collaborating with different artists.

As child he started playing the piano and switched to drums later on, which he studied at Hochschule Osnabruck (Germany) as well as Royal Academy of Music Arhus (Denmark). He primarily works with his own quartet JO, his electronic popmusic project Mic in the Face is not on Purpose and the trio Malstrom .

His own band JO, which he founded in 2015 and composes the music for, plays with all elements of musicals parameter, which combines his unique way of playing drums and expressing his music to arrive at a very communicative and improvised interpretation as well as uncompromised fun with his own catchy compositions. He also works a lot with the extreme dynamic range of playing highly energetic music and does research in creating experimental sounds on the drumset.

The experimental quality of Jo Beyer's music coupled with his signature emotive expression, has led jazz- award juries to recognize him as being disruptive and innovative in the contemporary scene and supported his musical idea with awarding him a bunch of renowned international new comer jazz prizes. Next to intense touring all over the world and giving workshops in about 20 countries he regulary participates in radio- and television productions. Additionally to his work as bandleader he plays in different bands and projects as sideman and recorded and released about 15 albums. He also produces electronic music as well as movie soundtracks.

During international touring Jo Beyer was invited to renown festivals such as Int. Jazzwoche Burghausen (Germany), Elbjazz (Germany), Jazzfest Bonn (Germany), Jazzfestival Saalfelden (Germany), Oslo Jazzfestival (Norway), OCT Jazz Festival Shenzhen (China), B-Jazz Festival (Belgium), Krokus Jazz Festiwal (Poland), World Youth Jazz Festival (Malaysia), Getxo Jazzfestival (Spain), Santiago a Mil (Chile), Tremplin d'Jazz Avignon (France), Summerfestival Alexandria (Egypt), Khalagoda Arts Fesitval Mumbai (India),

EU Jazzfest Shanghai etc.

"Der Schlagzeuger Jo Beyer erweckt sein neues Soloprojekt „Mic In The Face Is Not On Purpose“ zum Leben und liefert einen spannenden Mix aus elektronischer Tanzmusik, Filmmusik und akustischem Live-Schlagzeug."

"Beyer präsentiert sich als virtuoser Drummer mit einem schier unerschöpflichen Ideenfundus für Grooves und Sounds."

"Wie Jazz rockt - dieser Mittzwanziger aus Essen weiß es; vom Schlagzeug aus treibt er sein Quartett zur Höhe."

" [...] Es ist ein Heavy-Metal-Hardrock-Freejazz-Experiment unter Starkstrom, ein schweißtreibender Sinnenrausch und ein exessives Spiel mit der musikalischen Urgewalt."

"[DIe Band] JO hat Humor aber ist mit Ernst, Chuzpe und Hingabe bei der Sache, wenn es darum geht, die Vitalität und die Abgründe, die in Beyers Stücken angelegt sind, herauszukitzeln."

" It is jazz in the good old sense on the one hand but it is also music in the here and now - a difficult combination but achieved here in absolute spades. That potential I spoke of in my earlier review is now realised and this band [JO], with this composer are a force to be reckoned with. Good composition, great interpretation, wonderful music."

"[The band JO] seems to have the ability to understand one another and thus their approach to jazz. This is evident in the complete togetherness of all instruments and their contribution.
Jo Beyer is certainly a name to watch out for in the near future!"

"The most promising vortex on the European stage."