Cole Grant uses whatever’s at his disposal to create playful sonic pieces.

While sound is at the heart of his work, he incorporates found objects to create scenes that connect his sonic works to the real world.

Influenced by a love of improvisational music, great narratives and the unknown, Grant weaves a tapestry of story and emotions together in each piece he creates, regardless of the medium.

His love for sonically rooted art comes from a lifelong obsession with music. He’s been an audience member since before he can remember, and the joy of experiential art never left his purview. Since becoming a musician around the turn of the century, he’s toured the U.S. in numerous projects, playing everything from near capacity world class theaters to empty coffee shops. He’s released a number of records both as a member of various groups, and as a solo artist under the moniker C Dylla G.

His 2023 trilogy, The C Trylla G, is a collection of sixty songs that was never meant to see the light of day. A series of interludes, the music lends itself well to soundtracks, games & interstitial music for any number of mediums.

To unveil the music, he gathered three electronic artists together from different backgrounds: An improv-based looper, a hip hop producer and a house DJ. At the release show, each artist interpreted one of the albums from the trilogy, having complete freedom to alter and manipulate the music at will. Each artist weaved in and out of their respective albums, honoring the songs as the interludes they are. Grant dedicated each of the albums to one of those artists.

As a voracious community radio listener growing up, he welcomed a wide variety of influences into his music, from avant garde jazz to punk rock to modern classical. That disposition carried over into his work in public and community radio, and as an installation artist.

His discovery of installation art led him to create a series of pieces that put sound into the gallery space, like the interactive non-durational piece “Everything Is Fragile And Nothing Matters.” This installation allowed the participant to simply touch hand drawn pictures on the wall, then hear those drawings musically come to life through a pair of speakers. Or the static durational piece “And I Left Again,” where the participant was immersed in a temporary bedroom scene that was littered with walkie talkies, which broadcasted a sonic collage of multiple accounts of supernatural experiences.

Story is at the heart of Grant’s artistic practice, whether it’s more abstract, like in his music, or writ large, as heard in his radio & podcast work. As a five year public radio producer, reporter, DJ and host, he’s done everything from reporting an entire legislative session to directing & live producing multiple broadcasts of the Montana Folk Festival over numerous public radio stations. He’s interviewed everyone from government officials, like former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, to well known musicians, like Sam Beam of Iron and Wine.

As a podcaster, he’s hosted, engineered, edited & produced three seasons of Words Out West, which can be heard on NPR.org. He also spearheaded Rest Stop Radio, a limited series through the UM journalism school.

Grant began his broadcasting journey as a volunteer college radio DJ, co-hosting “Monday Night Hip Hop.” The weekly two hour slot gave him the freedom to express himself for the first time through music other than his own. He’s still showing love for his radio roots as the host of “Everybody Chill” on Missoula Community Radio, which explores the many identities of relaxing music.