M'Lumbo
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| M'Lumbo | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New York City, USA |
| Genres | World Music Jazz Electronica Psychedelia |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Website | http://www.mlumbo.com |
| Members | |
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Rob Ray Keyboards electronics engineering |
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M'lumbo is an American musical group. The group was founded in the late 1980s by Robert Mbotto Ray and Zombie Ron Boggs as an escape from commercial music (they were then in a rock band managed by Mick Jagger's manager that included future Helmet leader Page Hamilton). To their surprise, early handmade cassettes began selling briskly at local record stores leading to radio play on over 100 U.S. stations and many rave reviews.
Over the following years, M'lumbo has released over a dozen albums and had tracks included on five compilations. They have been featured on over 300 public, college and progressive radio stations worldwide (including syndicated shows featuring their music). Group members have worked as sideman, directors, editors and sound designers to a host of world-class artists and clients ranging from MTV and MTV 2 to Chrysler, from ESPN to Abbey Lincoln, Mazda to Luther Vandross, Methodman to Pacha Massive, Gil Evans to P. Diddy, Pharrell to Pearl Jam.
The band has drawn countless enraptured reviews, received an ocean of comparisons to Miles Davis, Sun Ra and The Orb, and praise from such disparate avatars as Simpsons' creator Matt Groening, Brian Eno, Carly Simon, DJ Olive and DJ Spooky, Neil Young and Tom Waits, and have influenced some bands along the way (Sex Mob, Either/Orchestra).
The group has given countless orgiastic and enthralling performances at both the old and new Knitting Factory and other N.Y.C. venues, with opening acts such as Neotropic, Sean Lennon, Badawi, Mantronix, virtual reality inventor Jaron Lanier, Jojo Meyers, Nerve, DJ Muttamasik and Duncan Sheik, among others. Their shows draw consistent recommendations from Time Out New York and the Village Voice.
From their origins as a "post-modern to a fault, brilliantly silly seven-piece jazz/funk/afro pop improvisarama" (Richard Gehr, Village Voice), they have metamorphosed into, first a smaller unit that "delivers upon the wasted promise of ambient music" (Alternative Press) and finally into the current line-up of six extraordinary musicians, two innovative and fast-rising filmmakers and one live soundman whose "audiovisual spectacle zeroes in on the fever dream elements of exotica" (Douglas Wolk, Village Voice). M'lumbo has spent the last five years cultivating a new style born from the underground "d8E" parties of the early 21st century. In the wake of increased police pressure and the completion of the scene's esoteric mission, Mlumbo has emerged to bring its psychedelic message to a mainstream audience.
[edit] Quotes about the group
M'lumbo takes the familiar and makes the earth slide. - New York Newsday
It's Mickey Mouse, The Stanford University marching band, Santana and Syd Barrett rolled into one... [B]orders on genius. - Baltimore City Paper
M'lumbo makes world music for some world other than Earth. It's creepy, smart fun for those of us whose childhood bedtimes were spent listening on our parent's T.V. evenings, awake with curiosity and terror. - Dirty Linen
To approach a merely adequate description, try and imagine a combination of Miles Davis, Sun Ra traditional African music, and early Bonzo Dog Band...very exciting, filled with unbridled energy and humor. The musicianship is superb and the arrangements exceptionally creative. - Alternative Press
Post-modern to a fault this brilliantly silly jazz/funk/improverama grabs TV themes by the neck, then flings them about until they beg for mercy. - Village Voice
