Ultraviolet

Biography
Press

Formed on Vancouver Island, within the unceded, traditional territory of the Kómoks First Nation, Ultraviolet is a groovy, cinematic music project that comprises guitarist Oscar Robles Diaz (from Mexico City), bassist/vocalist Brittany Christina Bowman (from the Comox Valley), and drummer Beau Stocker (from Toronto). These three come from different backgrounds, both geographically and musically speaking, and their combined touring curriculum boasts performance experience in Latin America, Asia, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Canada.

A far-reaching river of influences and the members’ collective interests in spontaneous composition combine to present a palette of ever-evolving musical ideas unique to each performance. The result is a genre-defying sound that has been described as “refreshingly creative” and “equal parts mysterious, groovy and spacey.”

With a spaceship’s worth of effects, the trio employs acoustic drums (often played with driftwood sticks, locally-sourced from Vancouver Island beaches), electric and semi-acoustic bass guitars, electric guitars and the highly innovative U10 Touch Guitar, designed for ‘touch-style’ playing. On occasion, haunting vocals, singing bowl, clay sculpting needles, Ebow (electronic/energy bow), and more are added to garnish the multiple layers of rhythms and soundscapes.

Ultraviolet has performed at such BC festivals as the Filberg Festival, Sunshine Coast Music Festival, Kispiox Valley Music Festival, Woodstove Festival, and 39 Days of July Festival, and in concert series presented by the Georgia Straight Jazz Society and Comox Valley Arts Council, and many other notable venues and events.

In 2022, Ultraviolet released three original, live recorded works - ‘Aphrodite’ and ‘Ophidia’ live at the Abbey Studio in Cumberland, and ‘The Alchemist,’ live at the Sid Williams Theatre. Both U10 Touch Guitar features, ‘Aphrodite’ and ‘The Alchemist’ grabbed the attention of the Germany-based company, Touch Guitars – who, in turn, immediately placed the videos on their official Youtube channel which exists to showcase innovation on the instrument from players across the globe.

In December 2023, Ultraviolet released their debut album - Ripples & Waves. With the exception of a single vocal overdub, the album was recorded fully live-off-the-floor – three musicians, one room.

Since its release, the Ripples & Waves album has been steadily gaining recognition. It has been hailed an “impressive debut” with “inventive playing and interaction…post-rock and jazz at the core but with many other elements brought into the mix.”

The album’s sweet and sticky single ‘Nectar’ was immediately celebrated by Mexico’s Ah World Music in their Editor’s Choice December 2023.

All About Jazz has selected tracks (‘The Alchemist’ and ‘Nectar’) from Ultraviolet’s Ripples & Waves album for Song-of-the-Day features, and UK-based radio presenter Bob Osborne, aired the ethereal ‘Treetop Canopy’ as the opening track on World of Jazz (episode 662).