ToneFusion
talking about their new track 'Lose it All' and their blend of R&B, Hip hop & Jazz
Where RnB and hip hop meets jazz, ToneFusion excites with original compositions and arrangements to create an atmosphere like no other. These Canadian artists bring diverse flavours and colours from their musical backgrounds to audiences in and around the greater Toronto area. As a group, ToneFusion has recorded live at the World of Jazz Festival and in 2020 were finalists at the Toronto Undergrad Jazz Festival.
Could you walk us through your music journey and how ToneFusion came into existence?
In 2019, we met at a jazz jam and immediately felt a musical connection with one another. We remember feeling as though we didn’t need to speak to understand what we wanted to say to each other and it was very rare to find so quickly. As this chemistry grew we began jamming and bonding as friends which turned into playing shows and gigs together. Being similar in age, with the goal of being professional musicians, We understood what it took to create beautiful art and we were all in it for the long haul. Fast forward to today, we hope to make some really interesting music that is both fun to play and easy to listen to.
We love your new track ‘Lose it all’ can you share with us the inspiration, message and creative process behind it?
Lose it all came together very easily.The process started with the creation of a funky bassline that is introduced very early which develops to a catchy and memorable melody. We had been playing this song live for awhile, tweaking the arrangement as we went.
Lyrically, it takes a glimpse at a dysfunctional relationship from different perspectives. One side from an individual who knows they are a difficult companion but still longing to be loved. And, from the outside perspective of a women who is hurt but loves unconditionally creating a cycle of broken love. Musically, we had the idea of incorporating jazz and rock influences to create a unique sound that builds.
How are the dynamics within the group and how do you approach performing and songwriting as a band?
It is an ever changing process. We seem to always find a way to take all of our thought processes and combine them. Sometimes there’s an idea that one of us has and we come together to workshop our thoughts and get some input from one another. Whats so interesting is that each of us brings our own voice which changes the music completely.
Our main goal is just to have fun. We try to make sure that we seem to be the most happiest people in the world. This brings a connection to our audience and it allows our emotions to speak through the music to make us sound better, but also makes us feel better as well.
How would you describe your sound and what are some of the key influences that have shaped your music and style?
I would say we are influenced by many different styles. We have roots from jazz to rock and roll. We tend to blend flavours to create an interesting twist of Neo-soul and Funk music that is informed by jazz sensibilities however, we think of ourselves as a collective that is ever-changing. A lot of our favourite artists The Beatles, Mac DeMarco, R.H Factor, Nibuyen Twist, Ahmad Jamal However, the goal in mind is to sound like a complete fusion of our individual voices.from straight-ahead jazz to a trio combination of jazz, funk, and R&B. Each of us have our own individual experience with the various musical styles
What’s next for you? What can we look forward to this year?
We have waited almost four years before releasing music. We made many changes and allowed ourselves to grow as people before really entering on our journey as a band. We feel as though this year we are going to reach new highs. We have lots of music that is in the works and you will be seeing some more releases as the year continues. On top of that our goal is to also be more active on social media and perform in front of a live audience is as much as we can while writing more music and working with some of our best friends as well.
As a magazine with a strong focus on music and food, we are curious: if your music could be represented by a drink or food item, what would it be and why?
This was a tricky one. Our drink would be a sparkling water because its something that everyone needs to survive but with a bit of added carbonation to make it new and exciting. As a band we love eating nachos. We feel like that food is something that we can relate to. Combining many different ingredients to create something that is never the same and always evolving is the way to go.