Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams
Encyclopedia
Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is a Hudson Valley
New York
based band, which was founded in Sleepy Hollow
in 1998. The band's music is a form of Folk rock
and is sometimes described as "Hillbilly Pink Floyd," or "Punk Classical Hillbilly Floyd." Their latest album, The Great Unravel
, was released nationally in the United States
on August 5, 2008, and internationally on August 8, 2008.
"Playing an utterly unique blend of rock & roll, folk, and quirky Americana, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams have been called "the hillbilly Pink Floyd," which is an apt description, particularly if you throw in elements of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Band, Neil Diamond, and maybe even some Frank Zappa as well." - Pandora Radio
The band regularly plays the major folk music
venues, coffeehouses and music festivals in the Northeastern
, and East North Central
United States
often to sold out crowds. They also tour in other regions of the United States
, including California
and Florida
. In August 2008 they made their first appearance outside of North America
, at the Rhythm Festival
in England
. Their reception there was so enthusiastic that they were invited back for the 2009 festival, as well as several other UK festivals in the summer of 2009.
The flavor of the band is best captured by a live concert, or by one of their live recordings. The band is noted for the dedication and support shown by their fans.
Some fans travel hundreds of miles to attend concerts. A high point of the year for many fans are the Grand Slambovian Hillbilly Pirate Balls, annual costumed events held in London and New York in the run-up to Halloween
.
In past lineups Joziah and Tink's twin sons, Chen and Orien Longo, have played keyboards and bass with the band. Both left the band to attend college - Chen in September 2009 and Orien in September 2010. They still play with the band on special occasions, such as the annual Extraterrestrial Hillbilly Pirate Balls.
band called The Ancestors, which released 3 albums.
Tracks on Brigadoon
were produced by Eddie Kramer
.
Other members of The Ancestors included Bob Muller (of the Trey Gunn Band
), and Alistair Farrant.
The Ancestors had some degree of success but the band broke up in 1995, and they took a hiatus from the music industry. During that hiatus Joziah and Tink took courses in computer graphic design and video production at the Westchester Arts Workshop
and met Tony, who was one of their instructors. In 1998 they formed The Circus and added Tony when they discovered that he had been a bar band drummer.
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
based band, which was founded in Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
in 1998. The band's music is a form of Folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
and is sometimes described as "Hillbilly Pink Floyd," or "Punk Classical Hillbilly Floyd." Their latest album, The Great Unravel
The Great Unravel
The Great Unravel is the third studio album by folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.-Track listing:#"Desire" – 3:42#"Pushin' Up Daisies" – 4:03#"Julia" – 4:32#"Tink " – 5:14#"Clear Channel" – 2:58...
, was released nationally in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on August 5, 2008, and internationally on August 8, 2008.
"Playing an utterly unique blend of rock & roll, folk, and quirky Americana, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams have been called "the hillbilly Pink Floyd," which is an apt description, particularly if you throw in elements of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Band, Neil Diamond, and maybe even some Frank Zappa as well." - Pandora Radio
The band regularly plays the major folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
venues, coffeehouses and music festivals in the Northeastern
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, and East North Central
East North Central States
The East North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States which are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau....
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
often to sold out crowds. They also tour in other regions of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, including California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In August 2008 they made their first appearance outside of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, at the Rhythm Festival
Rhythm Festival
The Rhythm Festival is an outdoor music festival held at The Mansion House, Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire from 2011. From 2006 until 2010 it was held at Twinwood Arena, near the village of Clapham, Bedfordshire, England.. Rhythm Festival was founded by music promoter Jim Driver...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Their reception there was so enthusiastic that they were invited back for the 2009 festival, as well as several other UK festivals in the summer of 2009.
The flavor of the band is best captured by a live concert, or by one of their live recordings. The band is noted for the dedication and support shown by their fans.
Some fans travel hundreds of miles to attend concerts. A high point of the year for many fans are the Grand Slambovian Hillbilly Pirate Balls, annual costumed events held in London and New York in the run-up to Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
.
Members
The band's current lineup is:- Joziah Longo - lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Sharkey McEwenSharkey McEwenMark "Sharkey" McEwen is a California born musician currently living in the Hudson Valley area of New York . He is the lead guitarist for the group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, where he also plays mandolin and provides backup vocals....
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Tink Lloyd - accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, piccoloPiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. - Tony Zuzulo - percussionDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
In past lineups Joziah and Tink's twin sons, Chen and Orien Longo, have played keyboards and bass with the band. Both left the band to attend college - Chen in September 2009 and Orien in September 2010. They still play with the band on special occasions, such as the annual Extraterrestrial Hillbilly Pirate Balls.
Band history
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Joziah, Tink, and Sharkey were members of a progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band called The Ancestors, which released 3 albums.
- The Ancestors (1988)
- The Enemies Dance (1991)
- BrigadoonBrigadoon (The Ancestors album)Brigadoon is the third album by the rock group The Ancestors.-Track listing:"New Love Waltz" – 4:19"Snow" – 4:29"End of the World" – 3:55" Human" – 4:04"Zephing" – 4:41"Syd" – 4:06"Fade Away" – 4:23"Just Need Some" – 6:20...
(1994)
Tracks on Brigadoon
Brigadoon (The Ancestors album)
Brigadoon is the third album by the rock group The Ancestors.-Track listing:"New Love Waltz" – 4:19"Snow" – 4:29"End of the World" – 3:55" Human" – 4:04"Zephing" – 4:41"Syd" – 4:06"Fade Away" – 4:23"Just Need Some" – 6:20...
were produced by Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
.
Other members of The Ancestors included Bob Muller (of the Trey Gunn Band
Trey Gunn
Trey Gunn is an American musician, known for his membership in progressive rock band King Crimson from 1994 to 2003, playing Warr Guitar and Chapman Stick.-Biography:...
), and Alistair Farrant.
The Ancestors had some degree of success but the band broke up in 1995, and they took a hiatus from the music industry. During that hiatus Joziah and Tink took courses in computer graphic design and video production at the Westchester Arts Workshop
Westchester Community College
Westchester Community College is a public, two-year community college in Valhalla, New York, sponsored by Westchester County, New York, and the State University of New York . The college is one of 30 community colleges affiliated with SUNY....
and met Tony, who was one of their instructors. In 1998 they formed The Circus and added Tony when they discovered that he had been a bar band drummer.
Discography
| Year | Title | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | A Good Thief Tips His Hat A Good Thief Tips His Hat A Good Thief Tips His Hat is the debut album of folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. The album's title is an offhand tribute to all of the older groups and artists who have influenced the Circus.-Track listing:... |
Studio recording |
| 2000 | Live from WDST - Acoustic Breakfast Live from WDST - Acoustic Breakfast Live from WDST Acoustic Breakfast is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' appearance at 8:00am on December 2, 2000 on the Acoustic Breakfast radio show in WDST in Kingston, NY.... |
Live recording. Out of print. |
| 2000 | Suddenly It's Christmas Suddenly It's Christmas Suddenly It's Christmas is a CD single released by Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.... |
CD single. |
| 2001 | Live at the Towne Crier Live at the Towne Crier Live at the Town Crier is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' August 25, 2000 show at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling, New York.... |
Live recording. Out of print, but available from iTunes ITunes iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.... . |
| 2004 | Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky is the second studio album by folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.-Disc one:#"Rocket" – 3:26#"Sunday In The Rain" – 4:41#"Kiss From Eve" – 3:24#"Moondog House" – 3:42#"Baby Jane" – 5:26... |
Studio recording |
| 2005 | A Night at the Puppet House A Night at the Puppet House A Night at the Puppet House is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' November 13, 2004 show at the The Puppet House Theatre in Stony Creek, Connecticut.... |
Live recording. |
| 2005 | The Christmas Show 2004 The Christmas Show 2004 The Christmas Show 2004 is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' December 17, 2004 Holiday show at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling, New York. This is a Bootleg Series album, which means that it is generally only sold at live shows, and only during the Holiday season... |
Live recording. |
| 2005 | Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky is the second studio album by folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.-Disc one:#"Rocket" – 3:26#"Sunday In The Rain" – 4:41#"Kiss From Eve" – 3:24#"Moondog House" – 3:42#"Baby Jane" – 5:26... 12" vinyl |
studio recording |
| 2006 | "Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky Flapjacks from the Sky is the second studio album by folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.-Disc one:#"Rocket" – 3:26#"Sunday In The Rain" – 4:41#"Kiss From Eve" – 3:24#"Moondog House" – 3:42#"Baby Jane" – 5:26... " Concert DVD - Live at The Depot Theatre |
Live DVD of a performance of the entire Flapjacks album |
| 2007 | Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Hillsdale NY - July 21st, 2006 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Hillsdale NY - July 21st, 2006 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Hillsdale, NY - July 21st, 2006 is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' mainstage set at the 2006 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.... |
Live recording. |
| 2007 | Roots on the River, Bellows Falls, VT - June 9th, 2007 Roots on the River, Bellows Falls, VT - June 9th, 2007 Roots on the River, Bellows Falls, VT - June 9th, 2007 is a live recording of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' set at the 2007 Roots on the River Festival.This is single disc which contains the full set, both songs and introductions.... |
Live recording. |
| 2007 | Ancient Murphy Greatest Hits of the 20th Century Ancient Murphy Greatest Hits of the 20th Century Vol. 1 Ancient Murphy: Greatest Hits of the 20th Century Vol. 1 is a compilation album of tracks by The Ancestors both previously unreleased and from their released albums.-Track listing:#"Already Broken" – 5:56. From A Good Thief Tips His Hat... |
A collection of tracks by a previous incarnation of the band as The Ancestors. |
| 2008 | The Great Unravel The Great Unravel The Great Unravel is the third studio album by folk rock group Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.-Track listing:#"Desire" – 3:42#"Pushin' Up Daisies" – 4:03#"Julia" – 4:32#"Tink " – 5:14#"Clear Channel" – 2:58... |
Studio recording |
| 2008 | A Very Slambovian Christmas A Very Slambovian Christmas A Very Slambovian Christmas is a set of live tracks of Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. These were recorded at holiday shows in December of 2007 and 2006... |
Live Recording |
| 2011 | The Grand Slambovians | Studio recording |