Jono Fernandez

Bio:

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BIOGRAPHY: JONO FERNANDEZ

Meet Jono Fernandez. You might think you know him from such two-dimensional catchphrases as “progressive breaks prodigy”, “tech-funk pioneer”, or even the more recent “Ableton Live guru”, but if you were forced to sum up his career circa 2010 in three words they would be “expect the unexpected”. Because while Jono has been all of those things and many more in the past, these days you’re just as likely to hear him crafting future hip house anthems or big room bombs, schooling the next generation of producers in his beloved Ableton or contributing backing vocals (among other things) to his new band project Friends Of Mine. In short, Jono is one of those rarest of acts – a DJ and producer who not only says he plays music from across the board, but actually delivers on that promise.

Just a brief look at the significant signposts across his career supports his claim. When progressive house legend Dave Seaman was putting together his Global Underground 022 mix representing Melbourne in 2002, Jono’s ‘Intruder’ was one of the first tracks picked for inclusion. A few short years later British breakbeat don Meat Katie recognised Jono’s burgeoning skills in the realms of tech-funk by calling on him for the intercontinental studio collaboration that produced ‘Pace’ from his Vibrator long-player. And in 2007 his ‘Rubber’ co-production with fellow Australian wunderkind Kid Kenobi found its way on to Ministry Of Sound’s flagship Clubber’s Guide To 2007 compilation.

With both his underground and commercial papers rubber-stamped and his music in the crates/wallets/hard drives of pretty much every significant DJ in his genres of choice, Jono did the unthinkable and disappeared from view through much of 2008. But this was a temporary hiatus from the DJ circuit rather than a complete musical hibernation as Jono plotted his next move, determined to make it the right one. If you need another catchphrase “quality over quantity” springs to mind, though thankfully the fruits of his recent studio labours present plenty of both.

In 2009, the first single he dropped was ‘Girl Vs Boy’, powered by a throbbing electro bass riff but driven home by a deliciously catchy vocal which is sure to lodge itself in the minds of many – no wonder it swiftly jumped to the top twenty in the ARIA club charts hitting a high of number 15 after over 12 weeks in the chart. Then you’ve got the progressive gem ‘Everytime’ featuring the haunting vocal of Kathleen Mitchell, re-discovered by the head honchos at Proton in its original breakbeat guise on an old promo mix and finally refashioned by Jono five years later released in late 2009. Then there’s the Tom Piper collaboration ‘Rockst*r’, a rollicking hip house groove which chucks a handful of genres through the blender and then adds Marvin Priest (yes, that’s Maxi’s son) to a mix which will be just as at home on radio as it will on club dancefloors in 2010. And we can’t forget Friends Of Mine, the final piece in the Jono Fernandez puzzle – for now at least. The collaboration with long-time friend Tim Watson (that’s him you hear on ‘Girl Vs Boy’ as well) has been bubbling away under the surface for many years has now evolved into a full-blown band project. Jono’s teenage guitar rock influences – not to mention his skills on piano, violin and even the flute – all seep into the sound of a project which sits in the same ballpark as the indie dance acts of this world yet still carries many of the recognisable hallmarks of Jono’s own production.

Make no mistake – you might not be able to put his sound in a box, but even his genre-spanning DJ sets have a sound that is undoubtedly his own, though when you do see him drag his laptop and MIDI controllers into a club prepare yourself for a ride which could take you anywhere. Luckily with Jono Fernandez at the controls, you know you’re in good hands.

Sounds Like:

Discography:

I Believe - Nick Galea Feat. Amba Sheperd - Jono Fernandez Remix (OneLove)

You've Changed - Lauren Flax Feat. Sia - Jono Fernandez Remix (OneLove)

Everytime EP 2 - Jono Fernandez Feat. Kathleen Mitchell (Proton Music)

Black Cats - Bertie Blackman - Jono Fernandez Remix (Forum 5)

Stalker - Jono Fernandez Feat. Angela Librandi (Vinyl Pusher)

Computer Games - Toy Robots - Jono Fernandez Remix (Vinyl Pusher)

Everytime EP 1 - Jono Fernandez Feat. Kathleen Mitchell (Proton Music)

Girl Vs Boy - Jono Fernandez Feat. Tim Watson (Bam Bam Muzik)

The Basement - D’Opus & Roshambo - Jono Fernandez Remix - (Mercury Switch Lab)

Thou Shalt Always Kill - Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip - JFKK Remix (Tinted)

I Want You - Mark James - Jono Fernandez Remix (Ministry/Hussle)

2x2 - My Ninja Lover - Jono Fernandez Remix (Tinted)

Breathe – Dylan Rhymes & Jono Fernandez Feat. Seany B (Lot49)

Stitch Face – Jono Fernandez (Title Fight)

Stay On The Line - Jono Fernandez & Nick Thayer (Lot49)[featured on Lot49 Presents: Meat Katie]

Rubber - Jono Fernandez & Kid Kenobi [featured on Ministry Of Sound Clubbers Guide To 2007]

Destructor – Mark Dynamix - Jono Fernandez Remix (Hussle)

Pace – Meat Katie & Jono Fernandez (Lot49) [featured on Vibrator]

Daylight – 10 Rapid – Jono Fernandez Remix (Burrito)

Rising Up – Jono Fernandez (Lot49)

Loose Cannon – Jono Fernandez [featured on Forefront II]

Deliver Me (Institution Recordings) [featured on Future Breaks 2004]

Directions In Groove – Fernandez & Musgrove (Pangea)

Northern Lights - Jono Fernandez (Erase Recordings) [featured on No Nonsense]

Come To Me – Fernandez & Chable (Screen)

Scream to Be Heard - SDM Soundclash [Jono Fernandez Remix] (Baroque)

Before You Beat My Box – Chable & Fernandez (M Theory)

Before You Break On Me – Chable & Fernandez (M Theory) [featured on Two Tribes 2004 & Unity 2]

Monkey Business (EQ Grey) [featured on Ministry Magazine Covermount, January 2004]

Colours of Conscience (Electrofly) [featured on If It Ain’t Broke – Don’t Fix It II]

Intruder (Zero Tolerance) [featured on Global Underground 22]

Lo Runner/Suede (Zero Tolerance) [with Lo Runner featured on No Nonsense]