State Of Monc

State of Monc operates on the thin line that divides electronic music from a more acoustic approach. Integrating the rigid sound of computers with the flexibility of acoustic instruments. Acknowledged by an increasing fine establishment of international jazz trend watchers State of Monc is seen as the Dutch answer to Eric Truffaz - 'however more colorful', and Nils Petter Molvaer - 'only more exciting and raw' (Edo Dijksterhuis - NRC Handelsblad). Inspired by legendary experimental jazz musicians as Miles Davis, core State of Monc contributors, which are Arthur Flink (trumpet), Hielke Praagman (button pusher and knob turner), Kasper Kalf (double bass), Paul de Jong (guitar) and Arthur Lijten (drums), presented their debut album 'Hand to Mouth' last year, which was a "hot bun" for weeks in the hottest music stores everywhere.

"The sounds of the harbour, the industry and the traffic of the metropolis Rotterdam are moving around in the music of State of Monc." ... "Wonderful melodies are pushed by imperturbable rattling computer beats, with every accent precisely on its place, released in a universe of floating sound scapes." - André Dadi, Jazz Nu

"It often seems to escape the notice of both jazz musicians and jazz lovers that the presence of self-willed characters are the "make or break" factor for the development of this music genre; people who dare to take the results of previous innovators one step further instead of simply imitating them. This is why personality and knowledge of the jazz tradition is just as important as insight into the possibilities that today's technology can offer in order to give that essential personal musical character a prominent role. And that is not all, as insight into today's society is almost as vital for the modernisation of Jazz. All this is by no means easy to achieve, particularly because organisers, record companies and the media are more interested in creating clones of earlier innovators than in musicians who actually carry on that development. I believe that while State of Monc has not chosen an easy path, that path is the right one to ensure that Jazz is kept alive as a dynamic music genre and does not get bogged down in an endless repetition of unimportant musical and cultural movements." - Hans Dulfer, OOR