Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar: Maimon;
Bass guitar: Ronnie "Stepper" McQueen;
Drums: Gerald Couchman;
Keyboard, Organ: Anthony "Brew" Brewster;
Guitar: Danny Robinson;
Trumpet: Curtis Storey;
Sax: Andre Desilets;
Vocals: Ijeoma Njaka, Charlie Charles
Mongoose CD Release Party LIVE AT THE TEMPLE BAR
Influences
All that lives,both Bobs(Marley and Dylan), Jimi Hendrix, Alpha Blondy,David Bouzaglou,John Lennon,Israel Vibrations, Roots Radics, Serge Gainsbourg, Ali Farka Toure, Fela Kuti, Outkast, Salif keta, Manu Chao....
Hey Mongooseheadz old and new, here and around,
Eyes blinking in the morning light, we emerged from the depths of Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood, California. We held out a hot CD, fresh off the press, all afire to hand it over to you. It’s called Third Ear.
The heart is where the music starts, yeah, the heart is the “third ear,” where opposites live in harmony and the mind comes to rest.
We’ve got the Third Ear launch party coming up June 6 at the Temple Bar in Santa Monica and we can’t wait to link up with you again. It was intense to be in the studio grooving and working hard to get the booty-and-soul sound happening. But now that it’s done, we’re really jonesing for those nights when the mood is right and we find each other where the stage and the dance floor become one. So pass the word and leave us your e-mail address; we’ll let you know what we’re up to. Lend us your “third ear” and tell us what you feel.///////
Maimon Chocron began journeying early on in life. His Jewish-Moroccan
parents left North Africa just prior to his birth. They lived briefly
in Paris where their son was born, then made their way to Canada where
they
settled in Montreal’s Moroccan-Sephardic community. Maimon picked up
his
first guitar at eleven, playing mostly rock music, and influenced by
the
likes of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. His world was rocked in 1979 when
he
heard Bob Marley's Kaya; it recalled the Moroccan trance-music he heard
as a
child. He was home.
Maimon soon found himself writing songs, playing with international
musicians, and learning reggae from Jamaican artists in Montreal. In
1989,
he formed Geoulah, (Redemption in Hebrew). His original songs were
inspired
by spiritual teachings coupled with the everyday experiences of urban
youth.
Geoulah's first album, Soul Deliverance, was released in 1995. The
popularity of the CD propelled the band onto stages all over Canada and
the
U.S. northeast. It was during this period that Maimon developed his
signature tri-lingual chanting and his energetic, elevating performance
style.
On the momentum of the success of the album, Maimon moved from Montreal
to
Los Angeles and changed the band’s name to Mongoose (the small, fierce
animal that is nemesis to the snake). The band quickly became part of
the
L.A. music scene, opening for such artists as Buju Banton, Third World,
Joe
Higgs, Lee Scratch Perry, Eek-A-Mouse, Shaggy, Third World, Steel Pulse
and
The Wailers. Mongoose held a four-year gig at Santa Monica’s West End
where
an eclectic fan base faithfully converged to get its weekly dose of
urban
spiritual grooves. In 1999, Ronnie “Stepper” McQueen joined Mongoose
on
bass and brought a steady ground to Maimon’s uplifting style. They
recorded
a five-song EP, entitled Special Edition, released in 2000 with
“Stepper” at
the helm as producer.
The music evolved again in 2001 when Maimon met Anthony “Brew” Brewster
one
late night after a Temple Bar gig. He went on to collaborate with
Brew’s
House of Vibez crew with whom he developed a smooth synergy. He
contributed
on tracks for H.O.V artists and they helped him hone a new sound with
an
R&B/Soul influence.
Since then, Maimon has been nurturing this “neo-roots” sound, blending
Sephardic chant, reggae bass and drums, and a street-soul sensibility.
He
regularly performs in Montreal where his fan base and his connection
with
the music scene have remained strong. In 2006, Skank records
approached
Maimon to release a new CD. With a fully deployed crew that had been
performing consistently and tightening its sound, and with Ronnie
producing
once again, the band recorded its latest CD, Third Ear. Maimon is
presently
performing, promoting Third Ear, and starting work on the next Maimon
and
the Mongoose Band release.
To pick up this crucial disc, click here.
Maimon And The Mongoose Band's Friend Space (Top 24)
wow... bredren... give thanx for di link.. after hearing the music now i take off my hat.. full fya',maybe with di halp of jah we will record a jam one day.. or we will arange sum shows for u here in zion.. bless ..luv them vibes.. an good to have ppl like u on my friends.. one love an inity! maayan
Invoking all Spearits, Rastas and Dancehall Kings and Queens, SNWMF '08
15th Anniversary late night dance hall Friday & Saturday with Stone Love, David Rodigan and special guests including: Daddy U-Roy and other artistes on the bill
