BIO
Whether performing his own songs on acoustic guitar, or playing fuzz guitar on an Ethiopian jazz standard, Damon Aaron brings the same high standards to groove and rhythm that he does as a beat-maker.
Most well known for a brand of soul/folk that is liberal with it's cross pollination and love for Americana and other roots music, Damon has also been at the intersection of the LA jazz and beat scene for many years.
Some of the bands in which he's been featured on guitar include seminal hip-hop MC Divine Styler, Ghanain Reggae singer Rocky Dawuni, and LA Ethio-Jazz favorite Ethio-Cali. His work with Build An Ark allowed him the opportunity to play with jazz luminaries like Nate Morgan, Michael White, Big Black, and Phil Ranelin amongst others. His vocal collaborations have included Telefon Tel Aviv, Anthony Valadez(KCRW), and Barbara Morgenstern. His production work has found him making beats and composing music with Mike Simpson(Dust Brothers).
For the last several years, he's been performing a dubbed-out live show at festivals throughout Europe(Fusion,Garbicz, Lethargy) and releasing music as Contact Field Orchestra. CFO is a multi-media project that combines found sounds, hand-built percussion, hacked toys, and tall tails. The debut lp, “Contact Field Orchestra Vol. 1”, was released in late 2013 in partnership with acclaimed art collective HIT+RUN. Recorded almost entirely with contact microphones, this project allowed him to explore different textures and rhythms as instrumental compositions favoring mbira, melodica, and banjos.
Currently, he's writing and recording new vocal music for a planned series of ep's, and doing session work in Los Angeles. He contributed to DJ Nobody's latest Ubiquity release, as well as The Gaslamp Killer's upcoming record.
SELECT DISCOGRAPHY
COMPILATIONS
2008 Karen P Presents: Broadcasting (Sonar Kollectiv)
2001 Dublab Presents: Freeways (Emperor Norton/Dublab)
2006 Impeach The Precedent (Kick Snare Hat)
2004 Rewind! Vol. 3 (Ubiquity)
1999 The Funky Precedent Vol. 1 (Loose Groove)
COLLABORATIONS
2019 The Gaslamp Killer, TBA
2019 Dj Nobody, TBA
2012 The Space Between, Joey Newman + Damon Aaron
2012 Anthony Valadez “Walking Away”, Just Visiting (Plug Research)
2005 Barbara Morgenstern/Robert Lippock, Tesri (Monika)
2004 Telefon Tel Aviv, Map Of What Is Effortless (Hefty)
2003 I-Wolf Presents: Soul Strata (Klein)
1999-2009 Build An Ark, Various
FILM/TV
2016 Ray Donovan, "Pick And Axe"
2014 Composer, In Between Songs, Directed by Joshua Bell
2013 Assistant Composer/Guitars, The Power Of Few, Directed by Leon Marucci, music by Mike Simpson
2012 Original Music, Dancing Still, Written by Ingrid Rogers, Directed by Robert Munic
2011 Original music, The Space Between, Directed by Travis Fine
PRODUCER
2007 Megan Jacobs, Prosperity