Biography
Matt Consola
Over the last 20+ years, Matt Consola has had an exciting career primarily as an Internationally renowned “Circuit, Bear and Leather community DJ” as well as a record label owner and producer. And while the term “circuit” may not be a favorable one these days, he would not trade those events or experiences with anyone. “I look back at my days as a resident DJ at Metropolis (SF), Crobar (Miami & Chicago), and Pure &Amsterdam (Denver), and I’m still amazed by the crowds, the events, and most of all, the music. Not to mention I loved the traveling.” In just a few short years, this kid who had never left the country, suddenly found himself playing to thousands in England, Ireland, Greece, Mexico and Canada. Not to mention headlining some of the biggest International Street Events, Raves, RSVP Gay Cruises and Circuit parties including the San Francisco & Los Angeles Pride Fairs as well as The Folsom Street Fair, Up Your Alley, The Palm Springs White Party and the Black Party just to name a few. Along with producer Keith Haarmeyer, Consola formed the record label Redzone Records in 1999 and released over 30 successful Billboard Top 10 and #1 singles, remixes and compilations, including his much-loved Circuit Grooves CD series.
In 2009, Consola had the honor of opening for The Pet Shop Boys at the historic Warfield Theater for their sold out Pandemonium World Tour September 22nd & 23rd 2009, which lead to dates at the infamous House of Blues. Currently a fixture in San Francisco at the internationally renowned Sanctuary, Adonis and Boy Bar clubs for Gus Presents, Consola is also a traveling resident DJ with Bearracuda, America’s largest bear club. With monthly or quarterly parties in 16 cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Austin, Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, Consola has been tapped to play 2011 Bearracuda parties Montréal, Amsterdam, Australia and New Zealand. His upcoming tour dates can be viewed at his website www.MattConsola.com.
In addition to a very successful Itunes Podcast called Adapter, which averages 21,000 downloads & streams a week, and a Saturday Nite, hour-long Internet radio mix-show on the Sobel Nation Radio (sobelnationradio.com), Consola has launched a new 2011 record label called Swishcraft Music. Swishcraft Music will feature newly produced singles and remixes by Matt Consola featuring some of the top vocal talents in the industry, as well as licensed singles from the UK.
BRENDA REED
BRENDA REED Brenda Reed is a San Francisco-based award winning singer and actress who's talents and accomplishments are as impressive as the musical journey that has brought her to Swishcraft Music. At the very young age of 12 Brenda knew that singing jazz was one of her true passions. This passion lead to extensive live performing with various accomplished Jazz groups, and to the eventual release of her first Jazz CD, "Lush Life" in 2003. A headlining gig at San Francisco's prestigious Plush Room soon followed. In addition to a successful music career, Brenda is an active member of the theatre where she won the TBA Critic’s Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress in a musical (“Chess”) in 2001. Hooking up with the Blues scene in her native Sonoma County soon followed, where she sang for The Bonafide Blue, recording the hit “On the Edge of a Dream” in 2008.
Brenda played numerous high profile Blues Festivals, which included opening for Elvin Bishop and Volker Strifler in Sonoma County. Brenda eventually ventured into the world of night club dance music after meeting Bay Sounds Studio's and L.F.B founder Leo Frappier. She started recording dance originals and covers for L.F.B tunes with the virtuosity, originality and soul that seemed to be lacking in the repetitive dance arena of the early 2000's. In 2010, Swishcraft Music's founder and lead producer Matt Consola began to assemble an accomplished pool of distinguished diva's to launch his new 2011 record label which will feature large vocal and melody inspired originals and dance covers. Introduced by L.F.B, Brenda's fiery voice, which straddles the bluesy/soul & rock fence made her the perfect choice to cover the legendary 80's blues/soul & dance icon, Alison Moyet, as Consola reinterprets Moyet & Yazoo's 1982 Upstair's at Eric's ballad "Midnight" into a fiery up-tempo dance track. With additional club remixes by world renowned remixers Wayne G, Bill Bennett, Jose Spinnin' Cortes, Liam Keegan, SpekrFreks, Craig C, and the Chubby Fingers team, Consola and Swishcraft are hoping to propel Brenda and Swishcraft into the dance club stratosphere with this first Swishcraft dance release. Watch for upcoming live dates in 2011 as Consola and Reed take "Midnight" on the road, as well as a follow up single slated for late summer 2011. Find out more about this emerging siren at www.BrendaReed.Net
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