Ali Baba's Tahini
Encyclopedia
Ali Baba's Tahini is a South Bend, Indiana
quartet that incorporates everything from jazz
and fusion
to rock and avant garde. The band, which formed in 1997, made a name for themselves on the Midwest club circuit and began sharing gigs with an up and coming Umphrey's McGee
.
The original group featured bassist/vocalist Karl Engelmann, guitarist/vocalist Jake Cinninger
, and drummer Steve Krojniewski. They released their debut album Hopi Champa
in 1999. The album has become a sought-after collectors item since going out of print in 2002.
Engelmann left the band in 1999 and was replaced by Kahlil Smylie for the album Limbo Boots
. The departure of Engelmann, one of the band's main songwriters and singers, was a drastic change for the band. A few months later, Cinninger disbanded Ali Baba's Tahini to join Umphrey's McGee
, where he remains to this day.
Three years later in 2003, a four-man Ali Baba's Tahini (with Smylie on bass and Engelmann on guitar) reunited for a one-off performance in Niles, Michigan
.
The following year, the original lineup of the band (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski) reunited in the North Carolina
mountains to record the album Rockstars and Lawnmowers
.
Engelmann fronted Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar from 2004–2007, who, along with Umphrey's McGee
, performed a number of Ali Baba's Tahini songs in concert.
The band recorded Rockstars and Lawnmowers
with former Mother Vinegar bassist Jeff Hinkle. Ali Baba's Tahini has been hard at work on their new release, slated for Spring '09, which will feature new member and songwriter, Justin W. Powell (The Mantras, Vertigo Jazz Project) on keys. A mini-tour will follow shortly after the release.
Jake Cinninger
: guitar, vocals
Steve Krojniewski: drums
Justin W. Powell - Keys, vocals
Jeff Hinkle - Bass
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
quartet that incorporates everything from jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
to rock and avant garde. The band, which formed in 1997, made a name for themselves on the Midwest club circuit and began sharing gigs with an up and coming Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
.
The original group featured bassist/vocalist Karl Engelmann, guitarist/vocalist Jake Cinninger
Jake Cinninger
Jake Cinninger, born Jacob Alan Cinninger, December 16, 1975 in Niles, Michigan, is an American musician. He has risen to fame as one of two lead guitarists, in the Chicago-based jam band Umphrey's McGee.-History:...
, and drummer Steve Krojniewski. They released their debut album Hopi Champa
Hopi Champa
Hopi Champa is the debut album from Ali Baba's Tahini...
in 1999. The album has become a sought-after collectors item since going out of print in 2002.
Engelmann left the band in 1999 and was replaced by Kahlil Smylie for the album Limbo Boots
Limbo Boots
Limbo Boots is the second album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee...
. The departure of Engelmann, one of the band's main songwriters and singers, was a drastic change for the band. A few months later, Cinninger disbanded Ali Baba's Tahini to join Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
, where he remains to this day.
Three years later in 2003, a four-man Ali Baba's Tahini (with Smylie on bass and Engelmann on guitar) reunited for a one-off performance in Niles, Michigan
Niles, Michigan
Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 11,600 at the 2010 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
.
The following year, the original lineup of the band (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski) reunited in the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
mountains to record the album Rockstars and Lawnmowers
Rockstars and Lawnmowers
Rockstars and Lawnmowers is the third album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album is the first since 1999 to feature the original lineup of Cinninger, Karl Engelmann, and Steve Krojniewski...
.
Engelmann fronted Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar from 2004–2007, who, along with Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
, performed a number of Ali Baba's Tahini songs in concert.
The band recorded Rockstars and Lawnmowers
Rockstars and Lawnmowers
Rockstars and Lawnmowers is the third album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album is the first since 1999 to feature the original lineup of Cinninger, Karl Engelmann, and Steve Krojniewski...
with former Mother Vinegar bassist Jeff Hinkle. Ali Baba's Tahini has been hard at work on their new release, slated for Spring '09, which will feature new member and songwriter, Justin W. Powell (The Mantras, Vertigo Jazz Project) on keys. A mini-tour will follow shortly after the release.
Discography
- Hopi ChampaHopi ChampaHopi Champa is the debut album from Ali Baba's Tahini...
(1999) (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski) - Limbo BootsLimbo BootsLimbo Boots is the second album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee...
(2000) (Smylie/Cinninger/Krojniewski) - Rockstars and LawnmowersRockstars and LawnmowersRockstars and Lawnmowers is the third album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album is the first since 1999 to feature the original lineup of Cinninger, Karl Engelmann, and Steve Krojniewski...
(2005) (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski) - Living RoomLiving Room (album)Living Room is the fourth and most recent album from Ali Baba's Tahini. In addition to Karl Engelmann, Jake Cinninger, and Steve Krojniewski, the album features Justin Powell on keyboards and Jeff Hinkle on bass...
(2010)
Current members
Karl Engelmann: guitar, vocals, bassJake Cinninger
Jake Cinninger
Jake Cinninger, born Jacob Alan Cinninger, December 16, 1975 in Niles, Michigan, is an American musician. He has risen to fame as one of two lead guitarists, in the Chicago-based jam band Umphrey's McGee.-History:...
: guitar, vocals
Steve Krojniewski: drums
Justin W. Powell - Keys, vocals
Jeff Hinkle - Bass
| (1997–1999) |
|
|---|---|
| (1999–2000) |
Jake Cinninger Jake Cinninger, born Jacob Alan Cinninger, December 16, 1975 in Niles, Michigan, is an American musician. He has risen to fame as one of two lead guitarists, in the Chicago-based jam band Umphrey's McGee.-History:... - guitar, vocals |
| (2000–2004) |
BAND SPLIT |
| (2004–present) |
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