The Consouls
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The Consouls | |
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| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | Independent |
| Members |
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| Website | www |
The Consouls are an Australian jazz ensemble based in Sydney, formed in 2014. The group is renowned for its jazz and fusion arrangements of video game music, blending traditional jazz idioms with melodies from popular video games such as The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and Super Mario series. Their performances and recordings have earned them a dedicated following both in Australia and internationally.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]The Consouls began as a creative project among jazz students and musicians in Sydney, led by bassist and producer Jonathan Gamra. Initially formed as a YouTube-based band focused on performing jazz interpretations of video game music, they quickly gained traction within both the jazz and gaming communities.
Their first uploads in 2014 included arrangements of Nintendo and Square Enix soundtracks, presented in a traditional small-ensemble jazz format. Their style gained recognition through gaming press coverage and word of mouth, with their arrangements praised for combining high-level musicianship with reverence for the original compositions.[4]
The band has performed at conventions including PAX Australia and SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show, and they have participated in talks such as TEDxMacquarie University, where they discussed creativity, gaming culture, and jazz performance.[5]
Name
[edit]Their name is a pun on consoles (as in video game consoles) and soul, a genre of music. With their dalliances into Latin music and "con" meaning "with" in Spanish, it may also be interpreted as playing "with soul".
Musical style and reception
[edit]The Consouls’ musical identity is centered around jazz improvisation applied to iconic themes from video games. Their influences range from classic hard bop to modern funk and Latin jazz. The arrangements often recontextualise the original melodies into extended improvisational forms, reharmonized chord progressions, and swinging grooves.
Their interpretations have been well received for their creativity and technical skill. Video game publications and music blogs alike have praised their ability to bring complexity and musical depth to game soundtracks, while maintaining accessibility for fans unfamiliar with jazz.[6]
Their YouTube channel has amassed more than 18 million views as of May 2024, and their tracks are regularly streamed on music services such as Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.[7]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums and EPs
[edit]- Consouls 1-1 (2014)
- Consouls 1-2 (2015)
- Consouls 1-3 (2015)
- Consouls 2-1 (2015)
- Consouls 2-2 (2015)
- Consouls 2-3 (2016)
- Consouls 2-4 (2016)
- Consouls ii-V (2016)
- Consouls 3-1 (2016)
- Consouls 3-2 (2016)
- Live at Grillby's (2016)
- Super Monday Jam (2017)
- The Velvet Lounge (2018)
- Game & Jazz (2018)
- Super Monday Jam 2: Thursday Edition (2020)
- Chronicles (2020)
- Super Monthly Jam (2020)
- The Velvet Lounge II (2020)
- World 4 (2021)
- World 5 (2021)
- Vinyl Fantasy – EP (2021)
- Consouls Radio – JRPGs and Strings (2022)
- World 6 (2023)
- Consouls Radio – Best of 2021 (2023)
Selected singles
[edit]- "Under Junon - Sunless Oasis (From Final Fantasy VII Rebirth)" (2024)
- "Battle with Magus (From Chrono Trigger)" (2025)
- "Main Theme (From Baldur's Gate 3)" (2025)
- "Main Theme (From Call of Duty: Black Ops 6)" (2025)
- "Sidon's Theme (From The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)" (2025)
- "Song of Storms (From The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)" (2025)
- "Blinded by Light (From Final Fantasy XIII)" (2024)
- "Dance! (From Persona 4: Dancing All Night)" (2021)
Band members
[edit]Current lineup
[edit]- Julian Sanchez – piano
- Jonathan Gamra – double bass, producer
- Mark Joya – drums
- Jono Lim – guitar
- Jimmy Whelan – saxophone
- Jacob Parks – trombone
- Miles Rooney – trumpet
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Nealy, Devin (2021-12-24). "The jazzy cover of Street Fighter you never knew you needed". Boing Boing. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
- ^ "The Consouls Live Show at Ginza Attic". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
- ^ Ombler, Mat (2022-04-18). "Video game music covers and remixes you should check out after 'Kirbys Grammy win". NME. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
- ^ Walker, Alex (29 October 2014). "Jazz + Nintendo = The Consouls". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Williams, Sosefina (2 October 2015). "Jonathan Gamra of The Consouls (Sydney) talks TEDxMacquarie, gaming and more". The AU Review. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "The Consouls at PAX AUS". PAX Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "The Consouls". Bandcamp. Retrieved 17 May 2025.