Joel Holmes is a phenomenon that fits perfectly into the musical scenario of the next years. 35-year-old American jazz pianist and 4 times Grammy nominated. He was the musical director of Carl Craig’s Synthesizer ensemble as well as the keyboarder in legendary Grammy wining band of Roy Hargrove (the IT jazz artist from the late 1990ies, who later died.) 

Holmes is always hunting for the new, so he moved to Berlin a few years ago. Being interested in what’s happening in that new dance world. Similar to Jazzers from the 1970ies like Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones who turned into disco stars Joel, the jazzer wanted to connect with the new Berlin electronic scene. He succeeded, teamed up with upcoming London house kid Cody Currie and the Toy Tonics crew who is working on new sounds in Berlin that connect the organic and jazz musicians scene with the dance and house world. Developing a new style of Jazz-House… (that has nothing to do with sampled jazzy‘ house! If you know what we mean). 

Joel and Cody Currie released 2 EPs that had a good buzz mainly in the UK and USA. Big support from the Worldwide FM and BBC Radio world as well from tastemaker DJs such as Bradley Zero, Gilles Peterson and Masters at Work.

While working on these EPs Joel created a kind of new jazz-dance universe around him in Berlin. He curates a bi-monthly jam session in an underground location where the crème de la crème of the international ex-pad -musician scene meet up. Joel became THE MAN to hang out when American musicians come to Berlin. Like when Erykah Badu was doing her Berlin gig in Berlin in 2019, after the show all the band moved to Joel's place to have a legendary jam session. Yes, there is a lot of happening in the new Berlin Jazz meets Electronic scene. And Joel Holmes is in the center now.

So it’s time for a Joel Holmes Solo EP. The EP was recorded in a couple of jam sessions. Later reworked and co-produced by Kapote and Sam Ruffillo and mixed by Justin Vanderfolgen from DFA in New York.

It’s a big step for Joel Holmes. He started to sing in a very smooth, deep way. He wanted to make dance tracks that have a song structure and should not be too static, but still be playable in good DJ sets. And that's what you get: A Lot of Soul. Deep House vibes in a New York style and Joel's skills as a keyboarder.

Joel Holmes is a phenomenon, for sure. And this EP could be a manifesto for what he is doing in Berlin now.

Osmosis

Joel Holmes - Playing With My Mind

Toy Tonics is an independent music label and culture crew.
A fluid group of international artists based in Berlin. Musicians, DJs, producers +
graphic designers, photographers, party organisers.
Toy Tonics‘ prime ethos is to create new forms of (dance) music, but we also release limited edition t-shirts, posters and organise the Toy Tonics Jams.

THE SOUND OF TOY TONICS connects different genres to create a new emotional (dance) sound. Influenced 
by indie disco, house music, neo soul, new wave, funk and more .
We combine organic sounds with electronic production. DJ culture with analogue (band) elements. 

TOY TONICS CREATIVE DIRECTION
by Mathias ‚Kapote‘ Modica

TOY TONICS PRODUCERS, BANDS & DJ 
Athlete Whippet, Bárbara Boeing, 
Baby‘s Berserk, Cody Currie, Coeo,
Fimiani, Gee Lane, Joel Holmes, 
Kosmo Kint, Magou, Sam Ruffillo, 
Stump Valley a.o.

ADDITIONAL RELEASES by
Kai Alce, Tommiboy, Miss Keta, Daniel Monaco, DJ Sneak, Baldelli a.o.

THE TOY TONICS JAMS
Since 2019 we organize the Toy Tonics Jams to spread our Toy Tonics style and vibe. They strated in Berion 2019 and since 2022 they take place all over Europe.
In clubs like Panorama Bar (Berlin), 
Phonox (London), Rex (Paris) and at festivals like Kala, Melt Festival (Berlin), Montreux Jazz 
Festival, Calvi on the Rocks a.o.

I´m a filmaker and melomano, I love all kind of sounds and melodys. My veiw absolutley depends of sound. The sound design is in the top important things for tell anythihg.

niCkB:
I started DJing in the mid 80s playing Electro and Rap at B Boy - Break-dance / Hip Hop events and then discovered early Chicago House,  which progressed through all the different genres that have been created since , and still to this day still plays a massive mixture of Electronica and Hop Hop. Over the years has played alongside some of the greatest DJs in the world from Carl Cox to Afrika Bambaataa. And over the years has had many residencies at various House and D&B night around the country a long time resident for DJ Ease from Nightmares on Wax.