Sidney Bazemore believes we’re all born with music. He also hates to be pigeonholed. This might explain the structure of Man on a Mountain Productions. The company, which started as a tiny seed of an idea five years ago in Chicago, has taken root in Sioux Falls, growing into a mighty force for entertainment.
MoAmp’s motto is “our genre is music.” To Bazemore and the rest of the team, it means creating fully immersive sound experiences without boundaries. The group includes singer-songwriters, DJs, producers, marketing experts, and filmmakers. Their collective style, by design, is constantly evolving.
“All of us are fighting some type of conflict with what we really want to do,” said Bazemore. “So when we play music the way we do it, or do a show the way we do it, we always get that kind of look like, ‘what in the world is going on?’ It’s an impression being left on people. The first time we did it as a group, we brought a sax player into the group and people were like, ‘what is this?’ It’s just really different. It’s hard to explain when people ask. I usually just tell them it’s fusion. ”
MoAmp shows combine live musicians with electronic dance music (EDM). With the addition of lights and other visuals, the aim is to create “ambiance from all angles.” Just like their aversion to sonic limits, the reach of their work ranges vastly, as well. It can be found on movie and TV soundtracks, but also at weddings, private events, and for shows like this month’s “The MoAmp Sound.” For the live Christmas break show December 23 at Sioux Falls’ Icon Lounge, the group plans to give the audience a little bit of everything.
“MoAmp shows combine live musicians with electronic dance music (EDM). With the addition of lights and other visuals, the aim is to create “ambiance from all angles.”
The MoAmp Sound will feature performances by several artists including Bazemore, who is a producer, jazz and blues pianist, and singer, Dylan West, a sound engineer, singer-songwriter, and MoAmp executive producer, hip hop artist Young Poet, Minneapolis-based “trip-sonic” fusion band Enemy Planes, and singer Arlinda Peacock, whose recent album Peacock Cassette was recorded and released by MoAmp.
The December event will celebrate the release of Peacock’s new work, but The MoAmp team has a lot more in store over the next few months. With the recent opening of MoAmp Studios on Prairie Avenue in Sioux Falls, the team now has a home in which to get creative.
“Folks should be looking out for music videos; we have a bunch about to be released,” said Bazemore. “We’ll be rolling out the catalogue of what we’ve been working on. We’ve got a few albums, singles, and features on albums both local and out-of-market, with all levels of visibility. Stay tuned!”
Experience The MoAmp Sound at Icon Lounge Friday, December 23 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. The show is 18+. For more info, visit facebook.com/Ourgenreismusic.
