Concept - el Maestro

Overview
This live project is called el Maestro; we are a four man outfit consisting
of dj DJ SKIZUM turntables, keys, sampler (dj Joey Demo also joins us for
special gigs); Nigel Sifantus (Grandfather Ridiculous) on drums, trigger pads and
sampler; Mike Harris (Truth Groove/Nicky Gonzales Band) bassist/guitarist; and
Taylor McFerrin (bobby's son) (Grandfather Ridiculous) playing keys, sampler,
vocals (singing, freestyling and beat box acrobatics).

When people come into the room who have not seen us before, they think that a
dj is spinning until they see us playing everything live. Its a truly live act that bridges
the gap between the dj and live music performance. We accomplish this by playing
all of our gear as live instruments as opposed to pressing a button and playing along
with a track. The impact of seeing where each tone is coming from really draws
the crowd in and the energy of the music takes our audiences to another world.
We have been described as the "breakestra∂ of modern dance music.

Music Styles
break beat - drum n base - acid jazz - house - techno brakes - hiphop -
broken beat - downtempo - dub - goa style, +...

Immaculate Contraption Concept
The Immaculate Contraption (I.C.) series started in 1996 by a handful of
socially conscious musicians who recognized merit in taking responsibility as
citizens of our local community with the goals of creating a heightened awareness
of ourselves, our environment and each other. By 2002, we grew to a collective of
over 30 musicians having participated in 23 performances on 3 continents.
El Maestro is a subset of particularly sensitive and talented (I.C.) players
who have developed a chemistry which transcends the normal restrictions
inherent when mixing egos. We choose to focus on improvisational performances
because it requires a baseline sense of awareness and respect from which we can
simultaneously create and observe each others ideas to yield deeply engaging
music.

We practice what we preach’ by presenting a living example of utilizing
technology with humane instinct and sensitively applied talent to positively
engage ourselves and our audiences in creating an environment of synchronized
consciousness.

Other Notable Elements Of Concept
- a live band made up of instrumental and vocal DJs
- audiences connect when they can see who is creating every tone, beat,
melody, etc.
- emphasizing shared cultural history by combining the best of dj culture,
which was born in USA but has evolved in Europe
- the music has popular appeal as opposed to similar projects that sound more
esoteric or experimental so we reach a broader audience
- the American musicians come from New York City, Washington DC and San
Francisco; 3 of the most recognized epicenters of American cultural, creative,
political and financial influence
- during concerts overseas we invite additional local musicians to
participate in shows
- the content of our shows is well received because we induce audiences into
a heightened state of self awareness by inspiring dance and other forms of
self expression.
- the tour begins on June 21, the internationally recognized summer solstice
until July 4, the American Independence Day
- the first audio documentation of the project were recordings of live
performances, the second efforts took the form of studio recordings, the next shows
in Europe will be multitrack recordings of live shows remixed in the studio

Booking/Contact: scottie.b.skizum(at)gmail.com U.S.A. 718.855.7471 (New York) Europe +49/30.290.43730 (Berlin)© SKIZUM STUDIOS 2009