As guitarist and co-producer of 2ŁØT, Chase Koch brings his vision of the band’s differentiated sound, his business principles, as well as his personal experience and passion for driving social change.
Chase’s life in music began when he discovered Pink Floyd’s The Wall at age 13. In his 20s, he was exposed to jam bands such as Phish and picked up a guitar, thinking, “I have to play that!” He went on to found Memento Mori, a band composed of globally acclaimed musicians from the Stand Together Music community who are focused on leveraging their talents and platforms to drive social change. The origins of 2ŁØT lie in a group of friends and musicians that banded together to help one another overcome obstacles using something they all loved: music. Early on, Chase spent hours in his jam studio with Omar Jahwar II (a.k.a. II), the band’s future drummer, as the pair were both going through deep personal challenges. Their jam sessions grew to include Sage, Rudy, and Trusko. As their bond grew, 2ŁØT’s vision was set in motion. For Chase, the essence of 2ŁØT is overcoming entropy in every aspect of life and transforming his life around the thing that makes him feel most alive: music. He’s passionate about blending electronic and jam music — two genres that deliver “tension and release” like none other. He hopes that the band can reach millions of people by inspiring other artists to leverage their platforms for positive social change.
As 2ŁØT’s drummer and co-producer, Omar M. Jahwar II (a.k.a II) merges two forces that have played a major part throughout his entire life: music and social change.
The son and grandson of musicians, II can’t remember a time in his life when music wasn’t a factor — whether it was three-hour children’s choir rehearsals at church, practicing music while in the car running errands, or the constant sound of music playing throughout his home. It was unsurprising that he had drum sticks in his hands as a toddler and was taking lessons by seven years old.
In addition to music, II grew up with a sense of working to create lasting change in his community. His father, the late Bishop Omar Jahwar, founded Urban Specialists, a Dallas-based organization that works to strengthen families and communities, as well as advocating for peace by working diligently to curb the violence plaguing urban communities.
He launched his music career working across genres — from taking part in jazz trios and an award-winning Latin ensemble to being named the African Apprentice drummer for The Debbie Allen Dance Institute. II played drums for Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa, and was thrilled to step behind the drumset for Mathien, his favorite band.
II befriended Chase Koch when II’s father became terminally ill. The two bonded over jam sessions in Chase’s home studio, giving II a much-needed outlet as he watched his childhood superhero deteriorate before his eyes. As the members of the jam sessions grew, so did the recognition of music not only as a tool to create joy and passion, but to build relationships and help inspire social change.
For II, 2ŁØT means overcoming entropy in every part of his life; fighting the demons of depression and frustration after his father passed. Through it, he hopes to inspire people through the raw power of good music and to be the light for someone when they feel like they are stuck in endless darkness. Ultimately, his work with 2ŁØT is one of the ways II is continuing the legacy of the late, great Bishop Omar Jahwar.
Robert Trusko is a bassist, music director, Ableton Push player, and co-producer for 2ŁØT. Robert's love for music started at a young age, as he grew up listening to music from his mother's and father's collections, which included a diverse mix of genres such as Talking Heads, Prince, Van Halen, Genesis, Tchaikovsky, and John Williams. Additionally, many of his childhood friends' parents were musicians — exposing him to a wide range of music creation.
Growing up, Robert could be found exploring music with his brother and neighbors and playing with his Yamaha PSR for fun. Robert began playing bass at 14, as well as playing in bands, which motivated him to start practicing.
At West Chester University, Robert pursued a Bachelor's in Music Composition (through his studies there, he was first introduced to the Ableton Live software that would become one of the go-to tools in his music career). He then went on to pursue a Master's in Music Composition at the University of North Texas, where he fell in love with all the sounds Dallas had to offer, from jazz, gospel, and R&B and including bands like Snarky Puppy and The Funky Knuckles. Robert's admiration for these sounds led him to work with a number of his musical heroes, including Shaun Martin, Robert Sput Searight, Bernard Wright, and countless others.
Including 2ŁØT, Robert has worked on many different projects, including TRUSKO, Cameron McCloud, and RC & The Gritz. His love for jazz, hip-hop, gospel, classical, and electronic music fueled his passion and has deeply influenced the sound of 2ŁØT.
Robert was introduced to the initial members of 2ŁØT through his connection via Robert Sput Searight and Patrick Craine of FURNDWARE Studios in Dallas. The core of the band had individually been battling through personal challenges and had come together to use music as a tool for healing. Impressed by the band's vision, sound, and energy, he decided to join them. Robert's skills as a bassist, music director, Ableton Push player, and producer have been instrumental in shaping 2ŁØT's sound, which blends various genres to create a unique and exciting musical experience.
Rudy Love is a singer, songwriter, and co-producer for the band 2ŁØT. A multi-instrumentalist who plays the keyboard, guitar and bass, Rudy is a phenomenon behind a Boss RC-505 Loop Station, adding new layers to the band’s signature EJM sound.
Born and raised in a lineage of soul and rock & roll, Rudy's interest in music started at a young age, but he remembers that it took him longer than his family members to develop his skills. Nevertheless, he grew up watching his family's band practice and perform and credits this experience as crucial to his development as a musician.
Prior to his involvement with 2ŁØT, Rudy was a member of several other bands, including Rudy Love & The Love Family, Balance & the Traveling Sounds, Rudy Love & The Encore, and Samiere. These experiences gave him the opportunity to perform in a variety of venues, from local coffee shops to international music festivals.
2ŁØT’s genesis came about when Rudy met his bandmates Sage Judd, II, and Chase Koch while playing music around town. They jammed together a few times and felt a real chemistry, and months later, Chase shared his vision for fusing electronic dance music with elements of a jam band. Robert Trusko later joined the group, and with his addition, they finally felt like a complete band.
Rudy brings a unique perspective to 2ŁØT with his experience playing thousands of performances, writing and co-producing with some of the most revered in the music industry, and making more music business mistakes than anyone he knows. For him, 2ŁØT represents growth, evolution, and adaptation, and he believes that the band's music will turn heads.
According to Rudy, EJM (Electronic Jam Music) is the harmony between long-form improvisation and the build and drop of dance, with the kind of sound and light technology that is commonplace for electronic music. The band hopes to give a multilayered experience to both listeners and dancers, delivering powerful messages with simple lyrics.
Rudy is excited about seeing the reaction to 2ŁØT’s sound from people who have listened to his music in the past. He sees everything with this band as next level, from the musicianship to the events they design. After his father’s death sent him into a deep depression, for Rudy, 2ŁØT is a rebirth of sorts: representing overcoming entropy, rising to meet new challenges daily, and reawakening the creator in him.
Sage Judd is a skilled musician and keyboardist for 2ŁØT. Growing up in a musical household with a music teacher for a father, Sage was encouraged to build musical outlets for himself from an early age. He started playing piano when his father inherited his grandfather's old Wurlitzer upright piano. Sage started with classical lessons but preferred creation over recitation. He enjoyed making games for himself out of learning melodies from his favorite movie and video game soundtracks. Sage's musical tastes are broad and range from jazz to classical, indie, folk, blues, punk, gospel, and traditional world music.
Prior to joining 2ŁØT, Sage had worked with several bands and projects, such as small and large group jazz, classical, experimental rock, folk, indie bands, punk, pop, EDM, funk, blues, and gospel organ. He met fellow 2ŁØT band members Chase and II through a local guitar professor who introduced them for jam sessions. The sessions grew to include Rudy Love and Robert Trusko…and the band was formed.
For Sage, 2ŁØT means going through an unexpected door to connect and enhance the sense of community by making art with people from different backgrounds. Sage brings to the band a deep knowledge of jazz and his reputation as a passionate keyboardist willing to connect with whoever, without judgment, as long as there is mutual respect. He's a communal keyboardist that is always willing to help others learn and connect with others through music.
The band's music is categorized as EJM (Electronic Jam Music), which Sage describes as the intersection of collective group instrumental improvisation with the sound design aesthetics and compositional forms associated with the music of live electronic dance shows.
2ŁØT’s vision, “overcoming entropy,” to Sage means trying to get through life's tendency to dissolve into chaos. He has dealt with his fair share of entropic situations in his life, and music has been his North Star and is his true calling.
We all came together during difficult times. Times of immense change and uncertainty. United at pivotal points in our lives.
We named ourselves 2ŁØT after the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. We intentionally cross it out because our goal is to resist entropy.
Our primary goal is to activate and inspire people.
We are a group that doesn’t just focus on music but social change. We want to highlight causes that we believe in. Overcoming addiction, helping kids overcome barriers and discovering their gifts, and criminal justice are top priorities for us.
We are a five piece group from very different backgrounds. Our influences range from hip hop to soul, funk, jazz, & rock. We are all big fans of electronic music.
We brought all of that together to create our own take on it. We call what we do Electronic Jam Music — EJM.
Fusing electronic elements with inspiration from classic jam bands.
