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Photo: Alicia J Rose

Biography

Hailed as “sexy, liquid, cinematic soul that just happens to have enormous commercial potential” (XLR8R Magazine), SUTRO’s debut EP, How Things Transpire is a gorgeous amalgamation of sound that exposes the talents of three of San Francisco’s brightest musicians. Fronted by renowned Producer/Remixer Tyler Stone, (Everything But The Girl, Sting) the members of Sutro- Tyler: Vocals/Programming, Patrick Hinds: Guitar, Keenan Wayne: Bass- pull from 90’s trip-hop and New Millennium downtempo, to create structured songs with the dynamics of live musicianship adding substance to what were static, groove-based genres.

The three met at DJ Polywog's improv collective “Poly's Playhouse”, where they were regular members along with a wide range of other musicians. Patrick and Tyler invited Keenan to join them sometime in fleshing out a few old songs over a bottle of red wine. “Sometime” ended up being a couple of years later. They had no particular direction in mind other than to see what would happen with a jazz tinged, house music diva, an indie rock guitarist and session bass player. Rehearsals began with food, wine and conversation and without realizing it, this had more to do with their direction than their musical influences - the red wine setting the tempo. Before they new it, they had created a soundtrack for the upscale underground and released their first EP, How Things Transpire.

Sutro’s progressive sounds caught the attention of “iTunes Originals” producer Gordon Brislawn (Goldfrapp, Nouvelle Vague, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hot Chip, José González, Junior Boys) and Grammy Award winning engineer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, Beck, The Shins, The White Stripes), who both lent their considerable talents to How Things Transpire. “I was excited to mix the Sutro tracks,” says Chiccarelli, “I love the combination of live instruments and programmed material. There's a wonderful mood to Tyler's vocals that brings a very haunting [quality] to all these songs. It's the perfect combination of darkness and light with a message and a groove.”

The lead single, Temptress, was previously released on the Bay Area top selling electronica compilation Destination Lounge: San Francisco, [Revive the Soul/UBL Recordings]. Stone and Brislawn revamped the song’s vocal arrangement to add a bit of swing to the cinematic feel and highlight Stone’s impeccable dynamics and range. How Things Transpire also includes Sutro’s haunting take on Disney’s (it’s a) Small World. Originally commissioned by the Craigslist Foundation, this version of the song implies that our shrinking global village has become claustrophobic and surreal. Two other original songs, the hypnotic pulse Undying, and the electro groove of Affected round out the EP that “…manages to balance cool, piercing beats, torch piano, sludgy synths and jazzy turns (and) sets the stakes in Sutro's rapturous act” (download.com)

As a prelude to their upcoming full-length debut, Sutro followed up How Things Transpire with RE:fected the Affected Remixes EP (iTunes Indie Spotlight (Electronic) for August 2007). Drawing inspiration from the song’s lyrics, Affected was “RE:fected” by the amazing talents of Chris Lum, Tony Sevener (Honeycut), DJ F and Sutro vocalist/programmer Tyler Stone, who's own mix gained "homegrown goodness" props from XLR8R Magazine (Issue #112).

Sutro have appeared alongside national and local acts • Brazilian Girls • Ghostland Observatory • Brand New Heavies • Dengue Fever • Asobi Seksu • Calexico • Nuspirit Helsinki • Michael Franti • The Frames • Sven Van Hees • Zoe Keating (Imogene Heap, Rasputina) • Freezepop • Karmacoda • Petrakovich • Moped • Artemis • Alu • Return to Mono • Beatropolis • DJ F • J-Boogie • DJ Tom Thump