MUMBO JUMBO
Mumbo-Jumbo brings together four of the Midlands top blues musicians to produce an acoustic supergroup for the region playing a broad range of blues-based music known, unknown and self-penned.
The fearsome foursome are;
Oliver Carpenter - vocals, trumpet and percussion.
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Oliver’s vocal variety and general good humour front
Mumbo-Jumbo. Recently described as "The nearest singer to Tom Waits that we
have," by Blues in Britain magazine, the new acoustic format give him the space
and time to open up a voice that has a new timbre round every corner. Oliver also currently heads The Big Blues Tribe a 9-piece smorgasbord of big blues music with excellence on every stand. His previous work with the Backdoor Blues Corporation and 3 Man Jam! has gained him an impressive reputation on the circuit. www.ocsingstheblues.co.uk * www.bigbluestribe.com
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Chris Gibbons – guitars and vocals
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Chris is a familiar face on the Midlands acoustic blues
circuit and a professional recording musician and writer with thirty years
experience of the music industry. Chris formed his first pro band with members
of American bluesman Freddy King's band, he then moved to the USA, and honed his
skills in orchestration while touring with a big band. Returning to the UK he
became established on the London session scene working with visiting US soul
artistes; he and wrote and recorded with Led Zeps's John Paul Jones for US soul
legend Ben E King among others. Chris studied Indian Classical music and the Celtic & Roots tradition and these influences are reflected in his writing for orchestra where he has gained several film credits on soundtracks such as 'Choke', starring Dennis Hopper and 'The Path to 9/11' with Harvey Keitel. His 2005 album Blues on the Road is a haunting blend of blues roots and chilled jazz and charts the journey of ‘Billy the Cowboy’ through the Great Depression and ‘20’s America. |
Chris Lomas – bass, guitar and vocals
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Chris is the epitome of a professional blues musician, running
his own band Memphis in the Meantime and on the road backing top US bluesmen
Tommy McCoy, Paul Byrd, Jimmy Griswold and Big George Brock He is also the first
choice bassman with The Mighty Houserockers and The Bushbury’s. Memphis in the Meantime’s excellent album ‘Take Me Home’ on the Blues Matters label highlights his songwriting and vocal talents. He is also well known on the blues circuit as the bass player with Parker’s Alibi and other groups too numerous to mention. |
Graham Toone – piano and organ
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Graham is a fine blues and boogie woogie piano player with his
flying fingers covering the keyboard with remarkable precision. Influences are
Jimmy Yancey, Meade Lux Lewis, Pinetop Perkins and Johnnie Johnson. As Blues in
Britain magazine recently said of him, "The piano took off after ‘Honky Tonk
Train Blues’ and nailed it in one!". Currently playing with Oliver in The Big Blues Tribe, Graham is a vastly experienced musician with over 25 years experience in the business, he has played in a variety of bands ranging from rock and jazz to soul.
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