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Keston and Westdal
As well as being composers and producers Keston and Westdal are also accomplished musicians and performers. Stylistically, Keston and Westdal focus on carefully evolving their compositions, layering them with contagious melodic themes and lush harmony. This duo has been consistently producing and performing original work since 1999.
UK native Keston broke out in the early 90's reviving the Rhodes electric piano vibe while playing live hiphop and club music with the areas tightest MCs, DJs and musicians. In the process he helped found the ground breaking act Casino Royale working with hiphop innovators Phull Surkle and Slug of Atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Westdal, uprooted from the Bay area, quickly became known as the freshest bass player on the scene, working with cats like Jack McDuff, originating the trio Full Length with drummer Joshua Herbst and keyboardist John Keston, and tearing up the club funk business with his in-the-pocket-prowess.
Ostraka
AudioCoobook.org founder, Keston and Westdal keyboardist, composer, and producer John Keston is a musician and experimental software developer currently based in Minneapolis. This United Kingdom transplant turned Minnesota local creates music under his moniker Ostraka by harnessing the random behaviors of sound objects and electronics into enigmatic compositions that bind chaotic creativity into musical structures.
Date Formed: Monday, July 28th, 2008
ten72
Composer, musician, and producer, Nils Westdal finds a mainline output through his nom de plume ten72. In a time of ready-made beats and stock electronic samples being used on a daily basis as well as the typically recycled genres found in the media, ten72 offers up a distinctive quality and honesty within his compositions. After many years of performing, writing and producing with some of the best that this planet has produced, a refined version of past decades come to a meeting in every song.
Date Formed: Monday, October 7th, 2002