Tin Men And The Telephone

Tin Men And The Telephone is an Amsterdam-based band that employs live electronics, projected visuals, and audience participation in combination with jazz and improvised music to create a one-of-a-kind multimedia experience. They find music in the sounds of everyday life, melodies in the cries of animals, rhythms in speech patterns or structures in the bustle of traffic, using these as layers alongside their intimate familiarity with the rich harmonies of classical music and modern jazz, and the visceral rhythms of hip hop and Balkan traditions. Above all, through their music and specially-designed apps for audience participation, their performances have a great atmosphere, with pieces ranging from the tongue-in-cheek and a zany humour to jaw-dropping musicianship and moments of wonder and the surreal.

“…great fun to watch these enthusiastic musicians who inject their music with original sounds and total professionalism.”

De Volkskrant (Dutch equivalent of The Guardian)

Founded by pianist Tony Roe in 2009, the group first performed in galleries, building a strong and committed audience following. Having made their own success, they’ve been invited to perform at leading jazz venues, festivals and theatres across Europe, including developing unique events for young audiences alongside main-stage shows.

“The performance was so engaging and so funny that it was easy to forget that this was also music of some depth, with twists and turns, tough to unravel knots and rhythmic stops and starts.”

All About Jazz, USA

The band:

Tony Roe (NL) – piano, electronics & visuals, band leader; Pat Cleaver (UK)- bass; Bobby Petrov (BG) – drums

Off-stage creative team:

Marcel Wierckx – Max programming; Hidde de Jong – App programming; Stijn van der Pol – Artwork design

Project

Third Ear worked with the band over three years, 2017-2020, building a network of partners to support a process of creative development with invited specialists and with audience-participants. Along the way, Tin Men toured two new shows across the UK. To get an idea of the band live, check out their videos here and here.