Beyondo

Artist Information

Biography

Eric Biondo is the leader of BEYONDO, a six-piece pop band that has played numerous clubs and concerts in the New York area such as Tonic, Knitting Factory and Zebulon.

Beyondo has a repetoire of over 40 originals which were released independently from 2001-2007.

As a trumpet player/singer, he has toured the U.S. and Europe with the Monkees(Universal) and Antibalas(Anti Records). Beyondo has also recorded/performed with TV on the Radio(Interscope); Medeski, Martin and Wood(Rope-aDope); Spanky Wilson (Quantic); The Drifters; Barry Williams(Greg from The Brady Bunch); Teo Macero (Miles Davis producer); Joe Lovano(Blue Note); The Either Orchestra(Accurate); Bat for Lashes, Zach De La Rocha, Elysian Fields, William Parker; Billy Bang and many others.

Regina Spektor used Your Daughter-from Beyondo's first release Beyondo-The Real Boy Band-on her 2005 album Soviet Kitsch (Warner Brothers Records).

For three years Eric was featured as part of the Dave Douglas/Jon Nelson/Roy Campbell Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York City.
A recipient of the International Trumpet Guild Scholarship, Eric earned his degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He is also the 1998 winner of Downbeat Magazine's Award for Outstanding Jazz Group.

Instrumentation

BEYONDO:
Eric Biondo-Trumpet, vocals
Caleb Burhans-Violin
Martha Cluver-Vocals
Rob Jost-Bass
Grey McMurray-Guitar
Ian Fry-Drums

Discography

The Real Boy Band-2001
Invisible Love-2002
Dinosaurs are for Punching-2003
Looking in the Mirror-2004
Emotional Compass-2005
Best of Beyondo- 2007

Official Website

http://www.ericbiondo.com

Links

• Sky Slope Music
• Myspace
• Beyondoland

Audio

• Jumping Off The World
  Listen  
• Party
  Listen  
• Gambler
  Listen  
• I Love You
  Listen  
• Girl At My Diner
  Listen  
• Friends Are Lovers
  Listen  
• She
  Listen  
• Waterhole Blues
  Listen  
• Body Language(Live at Zebulon feat. Mike Williams)
  Listen  
• Airic
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Jumping Off the World

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Friends and Lovers Review [+ Show ]
  

  This guy is pretty crazy. Crazy and amazing. He programs the beats, plays the trumpet, writes unbeli...This guy is pretty crazy. Crazy and amazing. He programs the beats, plays the trumpet, writes unbelievable hooks and sings. I would have never thought to write about this track if I hadn’t run into Eric Biondo at a Halloween party/jam session in Brooklyn two weeks ago. Walking up to the space, I heard a trumpet playing an incredible hook over a slammin’ drum beat and remember how much I like this music.
  
  He has a jazz pedigree, but like so many guys in his scene in NYC, and more specifically Park Slope, he is making music that is hard to categorize. It makes you want to sing along, bob your head and analyze the shit out of the production. Now check out Caleb Burhans. This guy can really do everything as well. He’s playing violin and singing a bit of backing vocals on this track. But he composes, plays guitar, has a great falsetto, improvises, etc. His solo is great. And listening to it over and over, you realize the tastiest thing about it is that the violin is doubled with voice too. Very subtle, very cool sound.
  
  Listening to the track again. Everything is doubled and layered. The seemingly straightforward trumpet solo toward the beginning becomes less and less the more you listen. This track, like mostly everything I’ve heard of Beyondo, can be peeled away endlessly.
  
  But his hooks make everything all right. And of all the super weird music I’ve played, a hook is a hook. “Friends are lovers, they just have a different name.” Cue casio synth sound and funky outro. The track never gets old. The weird-ass outro houses some of the best moments. I thought it was a synthed-out melodica for a second. Whatever the messed up, cheesy, Middle-Eastern-rip-off riff is makes it. Listen to it four it times in a row, like I am right now, and I guarantee you happiness. - JASON TREUTING
  Nov 14

• One Step Biondo [+ Show ]
  

  One Step Biondo Eric Biondo graduated from Hutchinson Central Technical High School in 1995, and...One Step Biondo
  
  Eric Biondo graduated from Hutchinson Central Technical High School in 1995, and his jazz outfit Straight Forward, opened for Grover Washington Jr. a short time later. But like so many of our finest musicians, Biondo bailed for greener pastures promptly, studying music at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and eventually landing in New York City, where he scored a gig playing trumpet with The Monkees, brought his horn to bear on the renowned Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and played a major role in the Festival of New Trumpet Music, an event curated by trumpeters Dave Douglas, Jon Nelson and Roy Campbell.
  
  Somewhere in the midst of all these gigs, Biondo also found time to lead Miles Davis Producer Teo Macero's Big Band. Not a bad resume to be boasting at a mere 27 years of age.
  
  But it's with his avante-garde jazz/pop boy band Beyondo that Beyondo marks his Buffalo homecoming Wednesday in Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. The daring, ambitous bill also features performances from the Genkin Philharmonic West and Thought, Beyondo will be digging in to tunes from the hilarious, irreverent and decidedly Zappa-esque "Invisible Love" disc. Expect it to be raucous, funny and bizarrely musical.

• Beyondo [+ Show ]
  

  Eric Biondo, best known in some circles as a trumpeter with the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, has lo...Eric Biondo, best known in some circles as a trumpeter with the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, has long been making oddly arresting music as a singer-songwriter. He indulges that interest best with colleagues like the violinist and vocalist Caleb Burhans and the bassist Rob Jost, two of the seven sidemen enlisted here.
  (August 3, 2007)

• New Artist Review [+ Show ]
  

  I never heard of music like Beyondo's before. Initially, I thought I had his music pegged for someth...I never heard of music like Beyondo's before. Initially, I thought I had his music pegged for something too Avant-Garde, basically weird. But, as I listened I caught myself bobbing and getting into the groove. There is a lot to say about real artists. You can never really underestimate what they bring to the listening ear. If you take the time to hear out any real good artist you will find a special and unique appreciate for their music. For those who may be used to listening to R&B, Hip-Hop and so, you may want to get a taste of what Beyondo has to offer.- Shinobi Muhammed
  

• CD Review- Emotional Compass [+ Show ]
  

  Beyondo EMOTIONAL COMPASS (self-released) by Naomi Beard With rapier wit, stunning musicalit...Beyondo EMOTIONAL COMPASS (self-released)
  
  by Naomi Beard
  
  With rapier wit, stunning musicality and wacky stage antics, Eric Biondo a.k.a. Beyondo performs with music acts ranging from trancey-fusion jazz groups to Monkees reunions, and his association with Davy Jones goes so deep that people have been gossiping if Eric is actually Davy's "lost" son.
  
  After laughing out loud at Beyondo's ultra-funny web site photo journal, I put his EMOTIONAL COMPASS CD into the machine, expecting something brainy and satirical like Frank Zappa. Instead, Beyondo revealed yet another side, and it's wonderful!
  
  There's levity in Beyondo's material in a "space age bachelor pad" way, but Beyondo goes a step beyond. He composes sophisticated pop songs simpatico with Burt Bacharach, Steely Dan and Tears for Fears ("Heart of Gold"), with vocalese and lead instruments that twist and turn around enchanting melodic hooks.
  
  Violin and trumpet are the main solo instruments, with Beyondo on trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards, percussion and some rather organic and pleasant beat boxing. While the musicians obviously have chops, the emphasis is on the songcraft.
  
  All of the songs have their own merits and peculiarities, and his lyrics lean towards the philosophical fallout of love lost and love found. With one foot in "trance," stand-out titles include "Show a Pretender" and "Jumping off the World."
  

Setlist

Your Daughter; Party; The Gambler; I Luv You; Friends Are Lovers; Jumping Off the World; Show a Pretender; Body Language; Airic; She; Welcome to My Party.
Average set: 40-50 minutes.
Average song length: 3-5:00 minutes

Basic Requirements

Calendar