Chilly Gonzales

Chilly Gonzales
Gonzales at a concert with Socalled at Théâtre National in Montreal, 2005
Gonzales at a concert with Socalled at Théâtre National in Montreal, 2005
Background information
Birth nameJason Charles Beck
Also known asGonzales
Born (1972-03-20) 20 March 1972 (age 52)
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Occupations
  • Composer
  • pianist
  • entertainer
  • singer
  • rapper
  • producer
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • screenwriter
Instruments
  • Piano
  • keyboards
  • vocals
LabelsGentle Threat
Websitechillygonzales.com

Jason Charles Beck (born 20 March 1972), professionally known as Chilly Gonzales or just Gonzales, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and producer. Currently based in Cologne, Germany, he previously lived for several years in Paris and Berlin.[1][2][3] Gonzales’ career spans numerous genres. He is known for his rap albums, his collaborations with singer and musician Feist and rapper Drake, his albums of classical piano compositions (including the Solo Piano trilogy), and for his collaborations with electronic musicians Daft Punk and Boys Noize, the latter of whom he also produces under the moniker Octave Minds. In 2022, he and Plastikman released a piano rework of the latter's 1998 minimal techno classic album Consumed in collaboration with Canadian musician Tiga, titled "Consumed in Key".[4]

Gonzales broadcasts a web series Pop Music Masterclass on WDR, the documentary Classical Connections on BBC Radio 1, The History of Music on Arte, and Music's Cool with Chilly Gonzales on Apple Music's Beats1 radio show. He has written several newspaper and magazine opinion pieces in The Guardian, Vice, Billboard, and others.[5][6][7] He is the younger brother of film composer Christophe Beck.[8] Gonzales won a Grammy award for his work on Daft Punk's 2013 studio album Random Access Memories.[9]

  1. ^ "Chilly Gonzales spielt Benefiz-Konzert: "Köln ist hässlich? Ich bin da anderer Meinung"". Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (in German). 15 August 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Chilly Gonzales". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  3. ^ Michaels, Sean (20 May 2009). "Gonzales sets world record for longest solo concert: The Canadian musician played for 27 hours, three minutes and 44 seconds at a Paris theatre – and sleep-walked his way through 300 songs". The Observer.
  4. ^ "'Consumed In Key' a compelling reinterpretation of Plastikman's 1998 album 'Consumed'". Toronto Star. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Chilly Gonzalez Explains Why the Classical Music World Should Stop Resisting Rap & Pop Music". Billboard. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  6. ^ Gonzales, Chilly (31 December 2014). "Chilly Gonzales on musical tropes in 2014: when the chord progression died". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  7. ^ "musical genius chilly gonzales explains the history of pop music". I-d. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  8. ^ Thomas Chatterton Williams (February 2020). "In conversation with Chilly Gonzales". Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  9. ^ McCormick, Neil (6 April 2015). "I got a Grammy for a 44-second piano solo". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 January 2016.