Kevin Bronson on November 7th, 2011

2

Judging from the sleek sophistication, island undertones and precise arrangements on the debut EP from Montë Mar, it’s immediately apparent the Los Angeles quintet didn’t just fall out of their bedrooms with a few chord progressions and lovelorn lyrics. Three members met while playing in and around the USC jazz community – in fact, Brian Green, Kyle Crane and Bill Zimmerman comprise the jazz trio Eastsiders might have encountered at their backroom gigs at the Satellite. Guitarist Jonathan Patterson is known in other parts of the world (especially Brazil) as Capital, a nickname bestowed on him by Del The Funky Homosapien. Green has toured with Michael Bublé, Andrea Bocelli and Chris Botti. Berklee-educated drummer Crane has his own list of credits … and, well, you get the idea. Green, Crane, Zimmerman, Capital and bassist Dylan Durboraw are sonic explorers, and their lush EP, titled “Different Place,” reveals a West Coast sound with melting-pot flavors. Shimmering with guitars, neon synthesizers and surprise appearances by kalimbas and Portuguese lyrics, opening songs like “Complicated Number” and “Time” drive the buoyant melodies forward. “Brown to Grey” dangles harmonies in atmospherics, and “Wine and Camouflage” is a dancefloor number lurking behind polyrhythms and a jazzy bass line.

||| Download: “Wine and Camouflage” or get Montë Mar’s “Different Place” EP for name-your-price on bandcamp.

||| Live: Montë Mar plays Nov. 15 at Central SAPC as part of the Kiev residency with the New Limb and Facts on File.