Joel Vanderheyden - tenor saxophone, vocals 
Brian Lewis Smith - trumpet, keys, drum programming 
Drew Morton - basses, synth, french horn 
Rob Baner - drums, samples 

Copyright 2010 Mize Music (ASCAP). 
This project was supported, in part, by the Iowa Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. 
Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Minstrel Recording Studio, Iowa City, IA. 

Koplant No would like to thank John Svec at Minstrel Studios in Iowa City, Gary and Angie Smith, friends and family, KCCK, The Iowa Arts Council, Lisa Stark, and Steve Grismore.
credits
released 08 June 2010 
John Svec - engineer 
Cover art by Drew Morton

So Far

Cracked Out Cyber Mouse

What A Way To Go

"Transit" EP is the second release from electro-jazz quartet Koplant No. The new 4-track EP on saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden's Mize Music imprint follows 2010's critically-acclaimed eponymous debut. For "Transit," the band went the do-it-yourself route opting to showcase the production abilities of trumpeter Brian Lewis Smith and bassist Drew Morton. The result is a thoughtful mix of the acoustic and synthetic; blending IDM elements, crackly field recordings, and homemade synths with modern jazz improvisation. 

Please enjoy.

released 06 March 2012 
Brian Lewis Smith: trumpet, keys, laptop 
Drew Morton: bass, synth 
Joel Vanderheyden: saxophone 
Rob Baner: vibraphone 

Produced by Brian Lewis Smith 
Mixed and mastered by Brian Lewis Smith 

Artwork by Drew Morton

Ballad With Drums

Hello

Transit of 1769

Transit Remix

Koplant No - "Stockholm Exchange"

"Stockholm Exchange" is taken from the upcoming "Distants" full length album.

Music composed and arranged by Brian Lewis Smith
Recorded and mixed by Jason Orris and Rob Oesterlin at The Terrarium Studio, Minneapolis, MN
Mastered by Huntley Miller

KN is Brian Lewis Smith on trumpet, keys and laptop, Drew Morton on basses and synths, Rob Baner on drums, samples, and vibraphone, and Joel Vanderheyden on saxophone.

http://koplantno.com

Stockholm Exchange - Taken from "Distants" OUT NOW! (CD + DIGITAL)

On October 22nd, Iowa City's most creative quartet, Koplant No, will release its third studio album, Distants. Comprised of talented musicians trained in the UI Jazz department, Koplant No continues to shatter musical boundaries by unleashing jazz chops in combination with electronica and progressive rock. The horn harmonies of saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden and trumpeter Brian Lewis Smith conjure images of Miles Davis' second great quintet, while bassist Drew Morton and drummer Rob Baner propel the band forward with throbbing sub-bass grooves, ambient textures, and drum machine loops. This band is nothing like the jazz combos you have seen playing around town; in fact, this music is unheard of in Iowa. The maturity of their compositions, the depth of their improvisations, and the strange twists present in Koplant No's music places the band on the top shelf. Smith, who does much of the writing for the group, explains, "With Koplant No, I'm really just interested in creating fun music that we as artists can connect with and would want to listen to. Music that intrigues us, challenges us, and helps us grow. Music that we are proud of."

The band has been developing its unique sound throughout the Midwest since 2008 and first recorded for saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden's debut album Complete Life on the Mize Music label in 2009. The album, referred to as "one of the best jazz-rock records to be released in years" (Chris Cooke, KIOS 91.5FM, Omaha), was also selected as CD of the Month for August 2009 on Jazz 88.3 KCCK (Cedar Rapids, IA). The quartet went on to release their self-titled album prior to a headlining performance at the 2010 Iowa City Jazz Festival, and released the more electronic/ambient "Transit" EP in March of 2012. 

Kent Williams of Little Village Magazine says about Koplant No: "I'm impressed with how organically perfect the fractally dubbed-out abstract electronic textures fit with the trumpet and saxophone as lead instruments. It seems seductive, inevitable and necessary when Koplant No does it," Glenn Astarita from AllAboutJazz.com, writing about the "wide open world" of Koplant No's self-titled release, states, "Engineered with depth, space and mood-eliciting soundscapes, the quartet generates an oscillating jazz-fusion electronica schema, treated with melodic choruses, drifting motifs and beguiling storylines."

Distants will be available on October 22nd (CD + digital) via Bandcamp at http://koplantno.bandcamp.com/

1. Stockholm Exchange 
2. A36 
3. Hello Again 
4. Distants 
5. Blerg 
6. Trio 
7. Point 2 
8. Decompress Yourself 
9. Pimento Grove 
10. Trio Reprise

Recorded and mixed by Jason Orris and Rob Oesterlin at The Terrarium Recording Studio, Minneapolis, MN 
Mastered by Huntley Miller

Koplant No - "Distants" Album Sampler - OUT NOW! (CD + DIGITAL)

Koplant No - "A36" (arranged and composed by Drew Morton)

Distants - out October 22nd on Mize Music (CD + Digital) via http://koplantno.bandcamp.com

koplantno.com
facebook.com/koplantno
twitter.com/koplantno

A36 - Taken from "Distants" OUT NOW! (CD + Digital)

Koplant No is a forward-thinking ensemble that fuses intricate compositions and jazz improvisation with electronica, progressive rock, and hip hop. 

Brian Lewis Smith on trumpet, keys and laptop, Drew Morton on basses and synths, Rob Baner on drums, samples, and vibraphone, and Joel Vanderheyden on saxophone.