Toro Y Moi & The Mattson 2

Biography

Toro y Moi & The Mattson 2 refers to the collaborative project between Chaz Bear (born Chazwick Bradley Bundick on November 7, 1986, in Columbia, South Carolina), known professionally as Toro y Moi, and the identical twin brothers Jared and Jonathan Mattson of The Mattson 2. Bear, son of a Filipino mother and African-American father, grew up in South Carolina, attended Ridge View High School where he formed the indie rock band The Heist and the Accomplice, and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2009 with a degree in graphic design. The Mattson brothers, raised in San Diego, California, began playing music in middle school, studied at UC San Diego's Jazz and Music of the African Diaspora program, and earned Master's degrees in Music from UC Irvine in 2013, forming The Mattson 2 in 2003 with their debut album Introducing the Mattson 2 in 2009.[1][2][3]

Bear pioneered chillwave with his 2010 debut Causers of This on Carpark Records, evolving through genres like guitar-rock on What For? (2015) and hip-hop mixtapes, while collaborating early with Washed Out. The Mattsons developed a psych-jazz style, often labeled 'surf jazz,' influenced by jazz icons like John Coltrane, whom they reinterpreted. Their partnership began around 2014 when Jonathan forgot his drum stool at an Oakland show, leading to jams; it culminated in the 2017 album Star Stuff (as Chaz Bundick Meets the Mattson 2) on Company Records, which hit No. 1 on Billboard's contemporary jazz charts. They toured together, blending Toro y Moi's catalog with collaborative material, and released singles like 'Ordinary Guy' (2020) and 'Millennium.' Bear's style fuses electronic production, indie rock, and funk, while the Mattsons add improvisational jazz grooves.[1][2][4][7][9]

The collaboration reflects Bear's genre explorations and the Mattsons' jazz roots, producing live performances like the Trona desert concert where The Mattson 2 guested on 'JBS,' and a THUMP Mix showcasing polychromatic sounds. Their work continues to bridge indie, electronic, and jazz, with Bear maintaining an active solo career.[1][5]

Fun Facts

• The collaboration sparked when Jonathan Mattson forgot his drum stool at a 2014 Oakland concert, leading to impromptu jams with Chaz Bear.
• Star Stuff reached No. 1 on Billboard's contemporary jazz charts in 2017.
• The Mattsons appeared as grumpy orderlies in the 'Millennium' video, high-jacking instruments from Bear’s bandmates on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
• Live from Trona was filmed audience-free in the Mojave Desert's Trona Pinnacles, inspired by Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Steven Schick - Contemporary classical percussionist and conductor who influenced the Mattsons during UCSD studies (Inspired guitar-drums interpretation of Louis Andriessen’s Workers Union) [Early 2010s]

Key Collaborators

• Washed Out (Ernest Greene) - Close musical relationship and fellow chillwave artist; also collaborated on mixtape (Samantha mixtape (2015)) [Late 2000s-2015]
• The Mattson 2 (Jared and Jonathan Mattson) - Core collaborators in psych-jazz project (Star Stuff (2017), Ordinary Guy (2020), Millennium, THUMP Mix, Live from Trona guest on JBS (2016)) [2014-present]
• Brijean Murphy - Bay Area multi-instrumentalist who joined touring band (Live from Trona (2016)) [2016]
• Money Mark - Collaboration with Beastie Boys associate (Various projects) [2010s]
• Ray Barbee, Tommy Guerrero, Farmer Dave - Collaborators on various works (Unspecified albums and tracks) [2010s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia