TORONTO SHOW PRESS: NOW AND EYE

[Jay Funk Dawg]

I GOT LUCKY TODAY WITH SOME GREAT PRESS IN THIS WEEK'S EYE AND NOW MAGAZINES..

NOW MAGAZINE:

Welcome Matt

House DJ/producer says Big Apple bites

By BENJAMIN BOLES

MATTHIAS HEILBRONN with ANDY ROBERTS and HALI at Gypsy Co-op (817 Queen West), Friday (February 24). $12 advance, $15 at the door. 416-703-5069.

You might think that Matthias Heilbronn would be considering leaving the Big Apple for greener pastures by now.

When Heilbronn relocated from Germany to NYC in 1989, he was moving into the centre of the dance music universe and quickly ended up immersed in the studio life, learning to edit and produce at Axis Studios under François K, a NYC legend who also immigrated from Europe almost 20 years earlier. Since then, the dance music world has changed dramatically, with the big markets now overseas in Europe and Japan.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2006-02-23/music_vibes.php

Pulse

My Week in the Clubs

Alien Invasion

Make It Funky promotes breaks parties around the city, so it seemed safe to assume that Mat the Alien would play contemporary breakbeat records as headliner for the party Saturday night on the top floor of the El Mocambo . Instead he played a set dominated by classic funk, spinning much of it off old 45s but cutting and scratching his way through the material in such a way that you could easily be fooled into thinking you were hearing modern remixes.

When DJing records with live drummers, it's always a struggle to mix tightly, but Mat made it look easy, rarely letting more than a minute play before transitioning to the next track.

His technical skills were no surprise, considering he's been a judge at DMC turntablist competitions for the past five years. Thankfully, instead of giving in to the urge to show off his fast fingers, he used his talents to put together a set that was musical and funky, rather than just flashy.

Much of the upstairs of the El Mo still looks improvised and in transition, but it's slowly coming together as a half-decent venue. There's now a back room with a separate sound system and bar, which gives it more flexibility for promoters and doesn't seem to have taken much space from the main room. In fact, unless someone points it out to you, you probably wouldn't even know it was there.

DB's Best Bets....

http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_02.23.06/clubs/bensonbets.html

MATTIAS "MATTY" HEILBRONN @ NUFUNK FRIDAYS

With DJs Hali, Andy Roberts. Fri, Feb 24. Gypsy Co-op, 817 Queen W. $12 from www.ticketweb.com, $15 at door.

The newly formed Toronto House Collective is on a mission to "bring the soul and organic vibes back to Toronto's house scene," with this event representing that intent. Headlining is German-born, New York-based DJ and producer Mattias Heilbronn. Known for his releases on labels like Wave and Naked Music, Heilbronn helped put deep, soulful, percussive house on the radar. Pssst: Directions' keyboardist Jason Kenemy also performs upstairs with his trio and guests.