Video Game Music is Habit Forming. Don’t Turn Off!
Jonny Tobin & JD Rich on their Tyrant show Mar. 13, missingNo's continuing history, and more from a vibrant sub-scene
The double bill of keyboardists Jonny Tobin and Jared Richardson, also known as JD Rich, at Tyrant Studios next Friday is one of several upcoming shows that have video game music themes.
I spoke to Tobin, who is a longtime friend of mine, and Richardson, whom I just met, about their March 13 date at Tyrant.
Richardson brings his regular trio, featuring Colin Sankey on bass and Trent Otter on drums, for one of the night's two sets.
"Jonny really stood out to me," Richardson said. "He seems to be sort of the closest person to what I do in terms of a combination of skills and interests. I'm a big fan of his music. I've listened to a fair bit of his original stuff, the sort of combination of funky jazz with electronic music elements. And particularly the way that he does synth solos, that's kind of my thing too."
Tobin agreed that he and Richardson had common ground. "We both kind of realized, we both play keys," he said. "We both are into video game stuff, and we both are actively creating music within that space. And also, I think our styles are different enough that we could put on something and have two distinct sets, and it wouldn't feel like too much overlap in terms of repertoire and style. We each have our own distinct thing."
