dystonic

Dystonic plays at Peasants

Reid Dorsett, Staff Writer
September 15, 2004
Local band, Dystonic, is the new up and coming band in Greenville. Their unique style blends jazz and rock to create an explosion of character and talent for their recorded and live music.

Dystonic is made up of David Dixon, Adam Whitley-Sebti, Will Kitchen, and John Ray. Dixon, Whitley-Sebti and Kitchen are from Greenville, while Ray came to the area to play with the group. During the first practice session, the four seemed to mesh perfectly to create the sound they were looking for.

"I just knew from the first time we played together that this band would do well together," said Whitley-Sebti.

"The good thing is that all these guys are dedicated to the band as a full-time position, it's not just a weekend thing," said Dixon.

This is important because they want fans to know that they are not just another band, but one that is dedicated to the fans and each other.

"We want fans to get a taste of our personalities and how we feel about the music," Dixon said.

To do this they have made their first self-titled CD enhanced so that listeners may also see behind the scenes footage of the band recording. It can be found by playing the CD on almost any Mac or PC. The footage is full of character which was seen in the friendly banter of members Adam Whitley-Sebti and David Dixon during an interview this past Saturday and on the entire group on the enhanced CD. Unfortunately, members John Ray and Will Kitchen could not be present.

The CD is carefully crafted to please listeners of many styles of music. It is produced by David Wolfe, a former roommate of Dixon while studying at Berkelee College of Music in Boston. Wolfe was excited to be involved in the project, recording in Virginia with additional tracks at Music Box Studio in Hamilton, NC. The band has the same excitement towards Wolfe feeling that he has a huge talent in producing that exceeds many others.

"We feel our music has come a long way while working with a producer like Wolfe," said Whitley-Sebti, "both in the studio and on stage our music is at a new level from working with him."

With Catchy lyrics and jazzy riffs, this CD captures listeners. It is easy to listen to, yet up tempo making it both for dancing and relaxing to. With the enhanced footage included, it connects the musicians to the music showing the love they have for the music they perform. It is a CD anyone can sing along to or play in the background of a party.

Dystonic has played shows in North Carolina and Virginia, but are extremely excited for their show on Saturday. With a large local support, fans are ready to see another enthusiastic performance by such a tight knit group.

The show on Saturday is to celebrate the release of their first album. The show will be at Peasants with the doors opening at 10 p.m. They plan on playing an

exciting show from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. The cost to get in is $5, but this will also include a free CD at the door of the show.

"We don't want this to be just another show," Dixon said.

"We want it to be an event for people to remember."

The band has some sample music online and have a website for fans to visit, www.dystonicdonk.com. They can also be contacted for booking or any interest at dystonicdonk@yahoo.com.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com

- The East Carolinian

Music Box: Dystonic
Local group to go on tour, return to Greenville Feb. 18

By Rob Young
mixer
Tuesday, January 03, 2006

A turning point is on the horizon for Greenville group Dystonic.

The band — which blends rock, funk, old-school R&B and pop — recently signed on with Western North Carolina-based Mill Valley Management, which handles booking and marketing for musical acts.

Just this month, Dystonic hits the road for its first extended tour, playing venues across the Southeast in college towns such as Charleston; Charlottesville, Va.; Chapel Hill; and Athens, Ga.; and in larger cities such as Atlanta and Baltimore.

"It's the first time we're getting to play college towns and venues that really appeal to our music," guitarist and vocalist David Dixon said.

The group will play 15-18 shows per month, promoting its self-titled demo of seven original songs. The next scheduled performance in Greenville is Feb. 18 at The Red Rooster.

Dystonic has performed together for about two years, but in truth, the group began playing together long before that.

Vocalist and keyboardist Adam Sebti, 24, drummer Will Kitchin, 25, and Dixon, 24, are all Greenville natives who attended J.H. Rose High School. Dystonic's bassist, 24-year-old John Ray, lives in Winston-Salem.

Dixon also studied music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, while Kitchin and Sebti were in ECU's jazz studies program. Ray attended the N.C. School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

This past year, the foursome has really pushed the bounds of its versatility, particularly in the songwriting department. Influences range from Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin, Coldplay and Maroon 5 to Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and even D'Angelo.

"I think probably one of our biggest assets — we have the ability to be improvisational and write very creative, cohesive songs," Kitchin said. "Not many bands can really cover all that ground. There are a lot of bands that can do one really well or the other."

By the end of the year, Dystonic hopes to record another album. But first, they want to increase their fan base by touring. Eventually, they'd like to play larger festivals like Bonnaroo.

"We're not too concerned about having hits on the radio, although I wouldn't be opposed to it," Dixon said. "We want to be well known enough where we can fill venues anywhere in the country."

Sebti concurs: "That would definitely be a step in the right direction."

Rob Young can be contacted at ryoung@coxnc.com and 329-9579.

- The Mixer