The Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and beat aficionado breaks down his early inspirations growing up
Toronto—often referred to as “The 6” by some—is also known as “T-Dot” by both King Chino and other music scene veterans. “I am basically considered an old head now,” he says, laughing, before going on to explain his love of the city where he was born and raised. Funnily enough, the joke and the label couldn’t be more accurate when describing the Canadian producer’s musical sensibilities. Growing up around his father’s vast collection of varying genres spanning the 70s and 80s, the beatmaker would start to familiarize himself with a range of soulful sounds that he would delve into much later. Fast forward to his preteens in 2003, when King Chino was introduced to the legendary beatmaker J Dilla by his school mate. Known for his seamless ability to create a groove and soul that most beats of that era weren’t channeling, the Detroit instrumental hip hop icon sits at the top of most producer’s Mount Rushmore.
“It took many years for me to settle on a main instrument as a child,” he says as he takes us down a chapter of memory lane. “I was deeply connected to jazz music and artists like John Coltrane from a young age and always wanted to be a jazz saxophonist,” King Chino continues, sharing his parent’s reluctance to buy him the aforementioned woodwind instrument, instead settling on clarinet. Later, the saxophone would come and stay in his life for a number of years before being overtaken by the time spent on guitar. In recent years, the multi-instrumentalist shares his recent desire to further sharpen his piano, drum, and bass skills to push his compositional ideas even further.
As early as I can remember. I’ve wanted music to be my sole means of earning a living. I began earning through teaching and performing as a teenager and have worked various odd jobs on the side, but I’ve basically always made a living through music.
I love this city, and growing up here has been a blessing in regards to my musical development, especially. While there are good and bad things about the music scene here, I feel like that is the same wherever you go.
I’m privileged to be exposed to so much diversity, which has allowed me to witness and be a part of a crazy range of musical experiences. There are a bunch of super-talented musicians doing interesting things right now, and I’m fortunate to be able to play and record with them.
KING CHINO
Great musicians exist all over the world and the presence of massive talent in Canada is not a recent phenomenon. While the popular music canon of the last century has been mostly dominated by US musicians, Canada has always had notable contributions—jazz legends Oscar Peterson and Lenny Breau, for example, and Joni Mitchell.
Historically, Canadians have had better luck moving to the ‘States to gain more recognition on the international stage, and often their Canadian heritage gets overlooked. In recent years, the commercial success of artists like Drake and Daniel Caesar has really done a lot to gain recognition for specifically-Canadian musicians, and it’s definitely influenced Toronto’s music industry. I think, overall, it has bolstered Toronto’s reputation as a place that produces great musicians and I’m grateful for it.
It’s pretty cliché to say, “J Dilla changed by life,” but the J Dilla/ Madlib album, Champion Sound, dropped when I was twelve years old and it had a huge impact on my musical development. A school friend put me on to it and—while it wasn’t my first exposure to hip hop—it opened my mind to its endless possibilities, and I was instantly hooked. This was definitely the moment that planted the idea that I wanted to be able to make neck-snapping beats.
So, I released all ten songs last year digitally, exclusively through my website, and only put five of them out on streaming platforms. The album really consists of ten tracks that are meant to fit together. Side A is funkier and more soulful, while Side B is a little more experimental, all while staying rooted in jazz influences. When you purchase the upcoming vinyl, you’ll also get all ten digital files available for download.
KING CHINO
I wanted to load on the incentives so if you grab the vinyl, not only will you have the full album Light Motif, which isn’t available on streaming platforms, you’ll also receive a bonus digital album—an early release of a new beat tape that has yet to be heard yet—and you’ll be entered into a raffle where I’ll be giving away a pair of awesome high-end headphones, courtesy of the good folks at AIAIAI Audio.
Basically, all of the tracks were made with the intention that they could stand alone as interesting pieces of music on their own, without vocals needing to be added. That being said, I have had a couple of artists approach me with renditions that have interested me, and I may or may not have some collaborative remixes come out in the future.
My process is always changing, and it often depends on which instrument I feel drawn to at the time. I rarely feel compelled to practice all my various instruments at the same time. I usually go through phases and that definitely informs the music. I’m hoping this crowdfunding campaign goes well, so I can upgrade my old, obsolete computer. Faster export speeds would definitely help.
Instagram vitality has certainly helped a lot, but musicians are all in consensus that the social media apps have been favoring original music less these days. I just recently released a song through a German indie label called PLYGRND. It’s called “Pink Flower #37” and it’s available on all streaming services. The release is still new but I’m hopeful about working more with this label in the future.
I just want to put out as much music as possible, without getting burnt out and without compromising my artistry. Currently, I feel highly motivated so expect many new projects, collaborations, and production placements from me in the near future.
By Orion Johnson
April 27, 2023