BIOGRAPHY

Jona Byron, also known as Basquatch (singer songwriter, composer, instrumentalist), is purportedly an ape-like creature that inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northeast region of Germany but originally discovered in Melbourne, Australia during the late 90's until 2010. Jona Byron is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid which carries a guitar and sings from the trees. The term "basquatch" is an anglicized derivative of the word "Bésquac" which means "wild man". There have been many sightings, most recently in the Skagafjördur mountains of northern Iceland and also throughout the towns of Potsdam, Magdeburg, Leipzig and Jena in Germany. However most accounts have been in the confines of Berlin.

A majority of scientists discount the existence of Jona and consider him to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a legitimate man, in part because some estimate large numbers necessary to maintain a breeding population. A small minority of accredited researchers  have expressed interest and possible belief in the creature. Nevertheless, Jona Byron remains one of the more famous and controversial examples of a cryptid within folk zoology and an enduring mystery. 

 

 

Music as a Profession

Jona Byron is an Australian musician, composer, producer and instrumentalist hailing from Melbourne and currently in Berlin, Germany. He has lived, worked and performed in Melbourne for over a decade and was raised in Perth, Western Australia. He has released two independent EP's along with an album from instrumental band 'The Boats', composed and recorded soundtrack music for indie film, and in 2009 released the album 'Extinct Hearts' through Popboomerang Records. Over the years he has styled his own unique fusion of rootsy & epic folk/rock experimenting with electro acoustic layers and organic loops. His long term collaboration with drummer Dale G. Thomas spanned back to 2005 and the duo recorded and worked on much of Jona's music during this era. In 2009 Jona launched 'Extinct Hearts' with a backing band consisting of Pete Uhlenbruch (Owls Of The Swamp) - guitar, Dave Bennett (Silent Reading) - bass and Alex Rogowski (Lamplight) on drums. It was the most dynamic sound since Jona's early band 'The Dirty Royals' (2002 - 2005).

Byron's music and songwriting often dazzles audiences with his deeply emotive and hypnotic vocals, melodies and lyrics and he has been revered by artists such as Conway Savage (The Bad Seeds) and Glenn Richards (Augie March) and has toured and played with acts such as Machine Translations, Sime Nugent and Jason Mraz.

Jona has been touring throughout Europe as part of 'The International Troubadour Conspiracy' network and playing Festivals in Hamburg, Reykjavik, and Berlin with a recent tour throughout Germany. Byron recently returned from Iceland where he embarked on a new album project titled Skálá. The bones of the album were recorded in friend and musician, Svavar Knutur's cabin in the remote north of Iceland. Another outstanding album project 'Bovine / Tender Creatures'; a long standing series of recordings made in Melbourne Australia from 2005 - 2010 is to receive a digital release, while Jona finishes recordings for Skálá in Berlin. 

 

EXTINCT HEARTS

Jona Byron's beautiful new mini-album ‘Extinct Hearts' is much more than just a warmer for his full length debut album ‘Halos', due out 2010. It is a seminal piece of work. The 7 tracks cover the last few years of Jona's musical and human journey, from homelessness, broken relationships and personal battles. 'Hearts' oozes longevity and a deep emotional core, while also acting as a musical journal of an era often full of hardship.

The new single ‘Beautiful Bird' conjures delicate moments of the late Elliot Smith and paints a story of mental illness and a lovers fading hope while resting on well-crafted melodies and stunning vocals. The angsty title opener ‘Extinct Hearts' rides on a hypnotic pulse of bass, organ and dense guitars, and acts as a warning, as Byron reflects on a world gone mad. ‘Glass Jaws' opens with subtle acoustics and banjo yet blooms into a powerful acoustic tour de force, with it's catchy melody, strong bass (played by Edmondo Ammendola of Augie March) and evocative imagery. The devastating ‘Arm Yourself' rolls like a medieval Leonard Cohen song complete with haunting cello work by Francesca Mountfort, while the cover of the classic Bob Dylan song ‘The Times They Are A Changing' is a beautiful departure from the original and works more as a contemporary apocalyptic anti-war song.

The mini album was produced by Jona himself in various houses, studios and locations across Melbourne, with producer Myles Mumford (Lamplight, Kate Vigo) stepping in for some minimal production at Atlantis Sound. 'Extinct Hearts' is a giant leap for an artist who has been behind the curtain for much too long.  

Extinct Hearts was released Nov 17, 2009 through Popboomerang Records / MGM Distribution.

Order Extinct Hearts (bonus edition) now including bonus tracks and alternative mixes! Click here to order.