Kumo (musician)
Encyclopedia
Kumo is a British musician and composer, the pseudonym
of Jono Podmore who was born in 1965.
, developing new techniques for live performance of electronic music
.
After a string of singles, remixes, live dates and international DJ commitments as Kumo, March 1997 saw the release of his first album Kaminari to significant critical acclaim.
1997 was also the year that Kumoo moved temporarily to France to work with Irmin Schmidt
(of Can
) on his opera Gormenghast, which premiered in 1998 and was re-staged in 2004. A selection from the opera was released on Spoon/Mute records in 2000.
October 2000 saw the release of the second Kumo album 1+1=1 on Spoon Records
.
In 2001, after extensive touring including the Sonar festival, the London Jazz Festival
and the Can Solo Projects tour, the first Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album Masters of Confusion was released worldwide. Later the same year they created the sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs for the Barbican Centre
as part of the Elektronik festival. The installation is now available as a sonic experience for public spaces.
The duo continue to perform and give workshops together across Europe and work on film and TV music together including award winning German TV series and dramas.
The 4 track EP Kumo and Friends was released on Electric Tones
Records in early 2003 and a successful collaboration with B. J. Cole
was released on the album Trouble in Paradise.
After further live appearances together, work began on a second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album and the duo also made remixes (including P.I.L); performed live, held workshops in Germany and Portugal; and produced the album dot i/o for Mito Ichikawa.
The second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album, Axolotl Eyes, was released in Spring 2008 on Spoon/Mute/Warners and was set for release in Japan on P-Vine Autumn 2008. The 7 track album comes with a bonus DVD containing the complete sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs in 5.1, accompanied by a 2 hour film by Jono and Sandra Podmore with Kate Shipp. The DVD was screened at the Sonar festival, Barcelona and Les Chants Mechaniques festival in Lille.
A four track Kumo EP
entitled Metapolis has recently become available on iTunes
and further releases are planned.
Jono lives in London with his wife Sandra and daughter Lara.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Jono Podmore who was born in 1965.
Biography
Kumo came into existence in 1994 when composer, producer, engineer and arranger Jono Podmore began work at Watershed Studios, London and with Plink Plonk records, founding 2 sister labels to Plink Plonk: Autoi and Psychomat. He began to play the thereminTheremin
The 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...
, developing new techniques for live performance of electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
.
After a string of singles, remixes, live dates and international DJ commitments as Kumo, March 1997 saw the release of his first album Kaminari to significant critical acclaim.
1997 was also the year that Kumoo moved temporarily to France to work with Irmin Schmidt
Irmin Schmidt
Irmin Schmidt is a German keyboard player and composer, probably best known as a founding member of the band Can.-Biography:...
(of Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
) on his opera Gormenghast, which premiered in 1998 and was re-staged in 2004. A selection from the opera was released on Spoon/Mute records in 2000.
October 2000 saw the release of the second Kumo album 1+1=1 on Spoon Records
Spoon Records
Spoon Records is an independent record label managed by Hildegard Schmidt, wife of keyboard player Irmin Schmidt, since 1974, on which music by the krautrock band Can and its members has been released and re-released. It takes its name from the song Spoon on Can's Ege Bamyasi album....
.
In 2001, after extensive touring including the Sonar festival, the London Jazz Festival
London Jazz Festival
The London Jazz Festival is a London-wide music festival held every November. It takes place in a variety of London venues, including larger concert halls—such as the Barbican and the Royal Festival Hall—and smaller jazz clubs, such as Ronnie Scott's and Vortex...
and the Can Solo Projects tour, the first Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album Masters of Confusion was released worldwide. Later the same year they created the sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs for the Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
as part of the Elektronik festival. The installation is now available as a sonic experience for public spaces.
The duo continue to perform and give workshops together across Europe and work on film and TV music together including award winning German TV series and dramas.
The 4 track EP Kumo and Friends was released on Electric Tones
Electric Tones
Electric Tones is an independent record label owned and run by British composer and producer Tim Simenon. The label, which is based in Amsterdam, was launched in 2000, and is dedicated to the release of electronic-based compositions, generally fitting into the field known as Electronica.Because of...
Records in early 2003 and a successful collaboration with B. J. Cole
B. J. Cole
Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles of music, ranging from mainstream pop and rock, to jazz and eclectic experimental music.He played and is heavily featured with Deke Leonard's Help...
was released on the album Trouble in Paradise.
After further live appearances together, work began on a second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album and the duo also made remixes (including P.I.L); performed live, held workshops in Germany and Portugal; and produced the album dot i/o for Mito Ichikawa.
The second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album, Axolotl Eyes, was released in Spring 2008 on Spoon/Mute/Warners and was set for release in Japan on P-Vine Autumn 2008. The 7 track album comes with a bonus DVD containing the complete sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs in 5.1, accompanied by a 2 hour film by Jono and Sandra Podmore with Kate Shipp. The DVD was screened at the Sonar festival, Barcelona and Les Chants Mechaniques festival in Lille.
A four track Kumo EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Metapolis has recently become available on 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....
and further releases are planned.
Jono lives in London with his wife Sandra and daughter Lara.
Discography
- No need: Autoi ep 01 1996
- Armed response: Psychomat PSY 1 1997
- 7 buckets: Psychomat PSY 2 1997
- Together: Psychomat PSY 3 1997
- Kaminari: Psychomat PSYLP1 1997
- Kumo - 1+1=1: Spoon Records SPOON CD 46 2000
- Masters of confusion (with Irmin Schmidt): Spoon Records SPOON CD 45 2001
- Kumo and friends: Electric Tones Records e-tones 009 2003
- Metapolis (EP): iTunes/White Label Records 2007
- Axolotl eyes (with Irmin Schmidt): Spoon Records CDSPOON48 2008
External links
- http://www.psychomat.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/kumosolo/
- Metapolis EP
- http://www.last.fm/music/Kumo