What happens when a gen Z drummer from Detroit and a keyboardist from Paris make a jazz duo? You get one of the tightest, quirkiest and cutest jazz music there is.

DOMi & JD Beck aren’t afraid to experiment the experiment, to bring jazz to the ever-changing and fast-paced generation. The generation to defy social media addiction as the norm.

They first met at the 2018 NAMM and soon started to write and play music together. Collabing with Thundercat and Anderson .Paak in 2019, they rose to fame posting videos of their performances online.

One great example is when they performed at the Moroccan Lounge. Already grabbing attention from their puffy colourful outfits, they start off with a witty introduction. To then perform one of their hardest and tightest version of Giant Steps. The crowd is in awe.

This is what got me into listening more of their music. I couldn’t believe such talented young jazz artists are out there, defining the new age of jazz. Many consider them aliens or reptiles as such. I also recommend listening to their Nord live series, especially Jump.

NOT TiGHT #

But what we were all waiting for was their debut album. Fans were starting to get a bit disappointed as it took quite a while. But on 29. July NOT TiGHT was released receiving positive reviews.

Contradictory to its name, I would describe it as a very cosy and tight album. I feel like their solo pieces were lacking a bit. Their individual composing style and purity has a long way to go. However, their collabs are a joy to listen to. There’s a cute tone to this album, from the colours to the style. Their names are uniquely minimalist in their style, only choosing to lower-case the “i”-s.

My personal favourite is MOON, featuring Herbie Hancock. Herbie adds some wonderful musical waves at the end of the piece. PiLOT, a collab with Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Anderson .Paak, is a fantastic crossover of Hip Hop and jazz. Something that Robert Glasper has done, who is also a remarkable jazz pianist. It’s also worth listening to WHOA, SPACE MOUNTAiN and their most popular piece TAKE A CHANCE. Surprisingly, as an instrumentalist duo, they’re great at singing as well.

NOT TiGHT is the start of a fresh breath in the jazz world. We’re already intrigued at the talent of this duo. Now we wait on what they bring next.