The Moots is an American musical duo that originates from the Florida Gulf Coast. The band was formed in early 2019 by multi-instrumentalist Matt Baxley and session drummer Darrell Nutt.
No strangers to the local live music scene, Matt Baxley and Darrell Nutt have joined forces to form The Moots. Their creative musical improv sets and distinctive fusion of funk, soul, & pop music have created a local buzz and garnered a musical cult following on Wednesday nights at Space 39 in Downtown Fort Myers.
How did The Moots get their name? Matt Baxley started posting synthesizer videos on YouTube early in the channels existence under the pseudonym Moot Booxle.
When deciding on a band name, Matt and Darrell borrowed from Matt’s YouTube aka while paying homage to Jimmy Fallon’s funky Tonight Show band The Roots.
One unique aspect of a Moots show is the instrumentation. There is a lot of sound coming from just two musicians. Matt plays Mini Moog and ARP Odyssey synthesizers, Rhodes and B3 keyboard sounds, voice vocoder, and many delay and modulation effects. He is also the soulful vocalist of the group with a style and range that parallels any pop singer today. Darrell doesn’t just play the drums, he triggers loops and samples that can ignite the sparks of a musical improv moment.
They perform two shows at 8 and 10 on Wednesday nights at Space 39. Each show contains a Moots “twist” on classic songs like “Higher Ground” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder. Songs by Luther Vandross, P-Funk, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and Gary Wright are also on their setlist, but what stands out for most fans are the musical improv moments. Whether they improvise with their own ideas or from audience suggestions, The Moots create new compositions “On the spot” and the creative energy is electrifying!
Matt Baxley is the keyboardist and vocalist for many Southwest Florida groups and has produced music for local and national songwriters. He is originally from Tennessee. Darrell Nutt is a drummer for several acts in the area as well as a music producer and video director. He settled here in 1995 and started his company defMEDIA Group after many years of touring globally with country and rock artists.
The Moots are currently working on their self-titled debut EP and their “Live… From Space” live album to be released in early 2020. For more about the duo, visit The Moots online at www.mootsmusic.com.
