ELECTRIC KIF

Electric Kif are a Miami-based power quartet that explore the boundaries between rock, jazz fusion and electronic drum & bass.

Made up of bassist Rodrigo Zambrano, keyboardist Jason Matthews, drummer Armando Lopez and guitarist Eric Escanes, Electric Kif formed as an outlet for the musicians to stretch out and be themselves between recording sessions and touring with other artists. They started played monthly at a tiny place called Lagniappe, which became their home-base in Miami. These nights were the time when the band would dive in to their own musicality, and chemistry was undeniable. The quartet clicked and there was no stopping them. On any given month you could witness fantastic musicianship, mind blowing grooves, and the occasional guest appearance from a national touring artist who knew if they showed up they would be challenged and delighted to play with these cats. Memorable nights included guest spots from Cory Henry, Michael League, Mark Lettieri, Bobby Sparks and more.

“Each member of the band — is an all-star instrumentalist but not the type who needs everyone to know it. “ (Miami New Times)

By 2017 the guys decided to shift gears a bit, and commit to Electric Kif as their primary project. They started touring out of South Florida, and the Electric Kif national journey began. They developed new music, videos, and performed in every new market that welcomed them. These efforts brought about appearances at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, Ground Up Music Festival, Bear Creek Festival, Miami Downtown Jazz Festival, Hullaween, and more. Each step they took was well received, and the community of presenters and artists began to give back. They also hosted Ground Up Festival pre-shows each year since the festival started, and have welcomed an array of guests from the Snarky Puppy camp among others. Soon after they were invited appear with artists including Snarky Puppy, Tauk, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Stanley Jordan, The Motet, Marco Benevento, and more.

“Originally setting out to create its own genre — “postnuclear,” or electronic music with analog instruments — Electric Kif has slowly gravitated toward a heavier, rock-based sound, though strains of funk and jazz fusion remain embedded in the group’s DNA.” (Miami New Times)

On the road they were exposed to so many other sounds and experiences which brought about great inspiration. In 2018-2019 they wrote and recorded their next record Jefe. To support the release of Jefe they hit the road again. This time they were in a different place. They toured with some of the artists they met or worked with along the way including Ghost Note, Isaac Sinclair of Tauk, Chris Bullock, Roosevelt Collier, and Shaun Martin. For the Kif this was a treat to be able to work with some of the musicians they admire the most. All the while they continue to share their music and grow their audience.

"Despite producing complex and technically impressive arrangements — and dabbling in genres known for flashy embellishments and minutes-long solos — the Miami-based instrumental fusion band never gets too heady. Instead, the collective shoots for memorable grooves, melodies, and atmospheres.” (Miami New Times)

2020 kicked off with some amazing live moments and manyplans for the year ahead. But as the touring world stopped….the band embraced this pause and used the time to create and record again. They did some live stream events (Moksha, Allegria), have released a series of acoustic live videos and an album with the folks from Sugarshack Sessions. As the year came to a close they released their next record, "Dreamlike" and toured again. They had the opportunity to play the UK a couple of times, they toured the NW, and had their first visits to Colorado. At the start of 2023 they rented a cabin in northern Florida and began recording their next album. This year they released a special collaboration with rappers Mick Jenkins and Wrekonzie. Later in the year they dropped a single with Adam Deitch, recording a tribute their inspiration Herbie Hancock covering Actual Proof.

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2024 has been a strong growth year for Electric Kif. They were thrilled to have a special performance/collaboration with forward-thinking jazz musician Aaron Parks, and hosting Ground Up Festival pre-show again with many of the Snarky Puppy musicians sitting in. They recently had sit-ins from Adam Deitch, Cory Wong, and Cool Cool Cool. They toured a few times in the US, and returned to the UK to play Ronnie Scotts and Band on the Wall for their second time in a year!

They have a new album being released in summer of 2024, and a couple collaborations coming out before the end of the year. Stay tuned for more to come.

Host or Publisher Little Bear Live