To say that Dennis Cahlo has a deep understanding and appreciation of music is an understatement. Currently residing in Brooklyn, the New York native has been writing music since he was fourteen years old. Growing up and producing music amongst the backdrop of the local New York City scene in the late 90’s and eventually playing with notable national acts, Cahlo has achieved a diverse range of musical experience in his thirty two years.
While some musicians’ site influences in terms of artists, Dennis references his most influential musical counterparts in terms of the albums they produce, which “in an age of download” he feels is the most relevant medium of which to listen to and produce. Amongst his favorites are Pet Sounds (Beach Boys), The White Album (The Beatles), Pink Moon (Nick Drake), On Land (Brian Eno), Songs From A Room (Leonard Cohen), and Marquee Moon (Television).
Part of Manhattan garage rock band revival, Cahlo played with the band The Realistics in the late 90’s. The Realistics produced two albums “Real People are Overrated” and “Poison and Sympathy”. They later went on to tour with notable acts like The Strokes, Blondie, Joe Strummer and The Mooney Suzuki. The Realistics disbanded in 2004 shortly after gaining a spot and playing at the South by Southwest festival and opening for punk legends The Buzzcocks at Irving Plaza. More recently, Dennis was part of Saints and Lovers, a noise rock, minimalist music-as-art band who self produced two EP’s, opening for acts like The Raveonettes, The Bravery, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Dears, and Morningwood.
It is clear that Dennis Cahlo is in his element when producing his own music. His latest endeavor, is a solo album entitled Winter in Medora. It is a very personal reflection of Dennis’ most recent journey in life, love, and loss. At once hauntingly poetic, rife with rich orchestrations and coupled with acoustic guitar, Winter in Medora is Cahlo’s life as he currently sees it: honest, tragic, lonely, and extremely beautiful.
Taking him only three months to complete, Cahlo began the composition on Medora solely with an acoustic guitar, which eventually evolved into a more layered endeavor including a small orchestra of French horns, mallets, bells, string sections, and timpani. Recorded, produced, and arranged entirely by Cahlo in his home studio in Brooklyn, advanced copies have been compared to Nick Drake and Brian Wilson.
His next album entitled Shoot The Moon (andothertalesofwoeandlonging) is already in production and will be a return to the spastic rock and roll that Cahlo brought forth as leader of The Realistics. Slated for release in the summer of 2010, its first single SHOOT THE MOON has won praise and acclimation by listeners every where.
These days Dennis Cahlo writes commercial music via his company Aphelion Music.
In his spare time, Cahlo enjoys taking photos, peppered with the writing he contributes to his blog, www.madetomeasureny.com which takes a sartorial look at men’s fashion and its place in everyday life.
An avid reader of graphic novels, Cahlo counts himself a self professed comic geek and horror film buff still claiming that “zombies rule”. He also is getting quite good at Beatles Rock Band.
For more information about Dennis Cahlo or to book him for professional services, please contact: denniscahlo@gmail.com or visit www.denniscahlo.com
