Nearly one year after the release of his critically lauded sophomore album In Our Nature (Mute), Jose Gonzalez will continues to wow audiences across the United States. This fall sees Gonzalez returning to North America to play the 2008 Austin City Limits festival. Dates include a four show stand at Yoshi’s in Oakland, marking Jose’s first performance in the East Bay, and a performance at the prestigious Orange County Performing Art Center in Costa Mesa, CA. The September shows will have Jose’s "Friends" on percussion and vocals in tact. In December he will be part of the multi-artist Red Hot + Rio show at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn,NY. The series celebrates the legacy of Brazil’s Samba Soul movement, and as well as Gonzalez features Bebel Gilberto, CeU, Curumin, Otto, and others to be announced.
It has been a great year for Gonzalez so far. In Our Nature was championed by Pitchfork as showing enough "talent to make good on those lofty Pink Moon comparisons." Gonzalez was nominated for a Plug Award as "Male Artist Of The Year", and invited to perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan Obrien, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. His live performances were widely praised: USA Today wrote of the "rapt crowd smiling private smiles," as he performed in Washington, DC, and the Boston Herald noted that "Boston’s rowdy college crowd paid Jose Gonzalez the highest compliment at the Paradise: The packed house stood silent and listened to him" The New York Times remarked on his performance as "nice and forceful, just alone with his instrument, his voice dry and his guitar laden with echo."
Gonzalez also chose to lead by example with a Green Tour of North America, hoping to encourage what he described as "the ripple effect that it might bring." With help form Reverb Rock (www.reverbrock.org) he worked to reduce and offset his carbon emissions while on tour, helping to reduce his carbon footprint by 76 tons of CO2.
Beyond the release of the full-length In Our Nature, Gonzalez digitally released the In Our Nature Remixes EP – featuring remixes from Todd Terje, Penchenga Nord, Beatfanatic, and Landberg & Skogehall – on Earth Day, April 22nd.
González also released the digital single "Teardrop" featuring the exclusive b-side "Four Forks Ache" on May 6th. ("Teardrop" is originally performed/recorded by Massive Attack).
Needless to say, it has been a busy and triumphant year for this talented artist. For a taste of what to expect live check out González as featured on Pitchfork TV: http://www.pitchfork.tv/dont-look-down/jos-gonzlez
www.jose-gonzalez.com
www.myspace.com/josegonzalez
www.mute.com
Tour Dates Below:
September 2008
23 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s (Early)
23 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s (Late)
24 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s (Early)
24 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s (Late)
25 – Costa Mesa, CA – Samueli Theatre
27 – Austin, TX – Ausin City Limits
28 – Brooklyn, NY – The Yard (Backyard Campfire)
December 2008
04 – Brooklyn, NY – BAM
05 – Brooklyn, NY – BAM
06 – Brooklyn, NY – BAM
