TOA

TOA is a DJ, multi instrumentalist and studio producer. He is best known for a hybrid performance style involving elements of controllerism DJing with live instrumentation, mainly on the drums and on keyboards. His sound began as a mash up of 80's and 90's pop hits / hip hop with contemporary electro house and techno beats.

At age 10, while coping with a badly broken leg, TOA was coaxed into bi-weekly piano lessons. In high school TOA wanted to join the school band but the piano spot was already filled. Rather than sit out, TOA lied about his percussion experience and became the band's drummer.

TOA wound up in the Toronto rock scene and spent 5 years in a touring rock band. During this time he explored his long time fascination with computer music. Although mainly looking for a cheap way for his band to record, he stumbled upon something else.

He began recording his drum parts, chopping them up, looping, manipulating, effecting and re-arranging. Years of listening to aggressive rock and roll, blazing funk, slamming Detroit house, hip hop and pop music fused together forming the signature TOA sound. Loud, funky, sing-a-long dance anthems ricocheted off the for the next 2 years until TOA had something to test on the feet of dance music lovers across the country.

After beginning as a club DJ, he would occasionally sneak in some of his own productions and test the effect on the crowd. A drum- beat here, a screaming synth hook or dirty bass line there. After spending years chasing the best party music, he now used the dance floor to craft his sound.

In 2009, TOA got his first big break, landing the opening slot on Snoop Dogg's Canadian arena tour. TOA sculpted a live set made of old and new hip hop, club bangers and early dance hits mixing it all with his own blend of electro house. In between mixing tracks, he traded duties playing live drums or keyboards on top of the sequenced tracks or engaging and pumping up the crowd on the mic.

Early 2011 finds TOA locked up in his studio working on his first EP of original releases. Look for DJ sets in a club near you and don't be surprised if you hear something you've never heard before. That's just TOA , testing out the new jams.