With precisely executed, angular, twisting keyboard/guitar riffs and locked-up groove-oriented bass/drums beats, the instrumental quartet Zony Mash created a signature sound that was both technical and fun. Zony Mash were established in 1995 by veteran composer, pianist, and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, and their debut album, Cold Spell, put the Seattle-based group on the map alongside other jazz-funk groups such as Medeski, Martin & Wood. Horvitz, a man who had worked with the likes of John Zorn, would now focus his energies on a more accessible sound. Guitarist Timothy Young would bring a bluesy rock tone to the band, while Fred Chalenor (bass) and Andy Roth (drums) would anchor the rhythm section. In 1998, the group released its sophomore album, Brand Spankin' New, which featured even tighter performances, as well as a slicker production by their longtime engineer Tucker Martine. In 2000, the group put out two very different full-length albums. Upper Egypt consisted of the traditional Zony Mash sound with Keith Lowe replacing Fred Chalenor on bass guitar, while American Bandstand featured a stripped-down acoustic version of Zony Mash, drawing attention to Horvitz's unique compositions. The quartet released Live in Seattle in 2002, and held its farewell shows in the Emerald City in December of the following year. ~ Solar Marquardt