Boil up some Parliament-Funkadelic seasoned with a dash of Jimi Hendrix simmering over a Public Enemy. Before The Roots were on Late Night tv, Mental Afro combined hip hop lyrical prowess with funk and rock for a dynamically real presentation. Mental Afro first performed in the Spring of 2005 and revived in late 2006. The band consists of five musicians who have a wealth of performance and recording experience between them. From Las Vegas showrooms, to the Great Wall of China, to the nightclubs of the Midwest, the members have been performing music most of their lives.
The essence of the band began in 1999 when Tee'Mon Norris and Brian Courtney were starting to get a new band together after performing in two of the most active mid-1990's bands at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana - Fambooey and Flattus. Both bands were named when the Bloomington music scene was featured on the cover of Billboard Magazine in 1996. Tee'Mon and Chaz collaborated on many projects including the 9 MC and 1 DJ Bloomington act, Fifth Element. Mental Afro officially formed in September of 2004 and first performed in the Spring of 2005. Tee'Mon Norris, Chaz Brown, and Brian Courtney were joined by Quincy Sanders on sax, Dave Scimonelli on drums, and Chuck Hobson on guitar for a total of four shows at Uncle Fester's House of Blooze. After a year pause, Mental Afro hit their collective 'PLAY' button again in October 2006 as they were joined by drummer Neil 'The Greek' Michalares and guitarist Marvin 'Leeroy' Druin.
Mental Afro released one self-titled album which is a collection of 12 songs that the band wrote, rehearsed, performed, and then recorded. The recording was mostly done 'live' in one day at Farm Fresh Studios by Jacob Belser in Bloomington,Indiana. They performed in Indiana: Bloomington, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Muncie, as well as Louisville, Chicago, Madison. |