Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos
Encyclopedia
Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos (ATMT) is a multicultural 5-piece band based in London, UK. Its current line-up is Alejandro Toledo (Sax, Vocals), Nuno Brito (Drums), Maurizio Pala (Accordion), Davide Lufrano-Chavez (Guitar), and Michele Montolli (Double Bass). They are known for their energetic and extravagant performances and their fusion of music genres.
The music combines elements of Balkan folk
with Western
mainstream
music, fusing classical music
and rock
culture, punk
and other world music
styles.
In 2010, the band was selected by the Fiat Evo Music Rooms competition as one of the current top unsigned bands in the UK, beating 3,000 other bands. They then went on to make a live appearance on Channel 4's Evo Music Rooms programme hosted by Edith Bowman
along with bands Faithless
and Audio Bullys
.
The band has toured tirelessly throughout Europe, making appearances at numerous international festivals.
In an interview with fRoots magazine, frontman Alejandro Toledo cites 21st century music among the band's main musical spectrum. ATMT has mentioned Manu Chao
, Fanfare Ciocarlia
, The Prodigy
and Astor Piazzolla
as influences as well.
The band's sound is mostly characterized by lively and energetic rhythms with virtuosic melodic passages, as well as a distinct informality which allows the audience to get involved and feel close to their music. Mixed music genres are present throughout their tracks.
The music combines elements of Balkan folk
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....
with Western
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
music, fusing classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
culture, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and other world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
styles.
In 2010, the band was selected by the Fiat Evo Music Rooms competition as one of the current top unsigned bands in the UK, beating 3,000 other bands. They then went on to make a live appearance on Channel 4's Evo Music Rooms programme hosted by Edith Bowman
Edith Bowman
Edith Eleanor Bowman is a Scottish music critic, radio DJ and television presenter. She is mostly known for hosting the weekday afternoon show and from September 2009 weekend morning on BBC Radio 1 and for presenting a variety of music related television shows and music...
along with bands Faithless
Faithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
and Audio Bullys
Audio Bullys
Audio Bullys are an electronic music group from London, consisting of Simon Franks and Tom Dinsdale. The group were once managed by DJ and presenter George Lamb....
.
Biography
ATMT was formed in 2008 by classically-trained saxophonist and composer Alejandro Toledo. Heavily influenced by the UK rock scene and Eastern European Roma and traditional music, the band synthesizes a collective of various musical sounds including those brought by their international backgrounds.The band has toured tirelessly throughout Europe, making appearances at numerous international festivals.
In an interview with fRoots magazine, frontman Alejandro Toledo cites 21st century music among the band's main musical spectrum. ATMT has mentioned Manu Chao
Manu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
, Fanfare Ciocarlia
Fanfare Ciocarlia
Fanfare Ciocărlia is a popular twelve-piece Romani brass band from the northeastern Romanian village of Zece Prăjini. The band began as a loose assemblage of part-time musicians playing at local weddings and baptisms. In October 1996, the German sound engineer and record producer Henry Ernst...
, The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
and Astor Piazzolla
Ástor Piazzolla
Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music...
as influences as well.
The band's sound is mostly characterized by lively and energetic rhythms with virtuosic melodic passages, as well as a distinct informality which allows the audience to get involved and feel close to their music. Mixed music genres are present throughout their tracks.
Music festivals
Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos Festival appearances have included:- Canterbury FestivalCanterbury FestivalThe Canterbury Festival is Kent's international festival of the arts. It takes place in Canterbury and surrounding towns and villages each October and includes performances of a variety of types of music, ranging from Opera and Oratorio to art, comedy and theatre...
on October 15, 2011 - Haarlem Jazz Festival on August 20, 2011
- Broadstairs Festival on August 12, 2011
- Riverside Festival on August 6, 2011
- Womad on July 30, 2010
- Larmer Tree FestivalLarmer Tree FestivalThe Larmer Tree Festival is a five-day music and arts festival held annually at the Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal on the Wiltshire-Dorset border in England. Described as "One of the most family-friendly festivals around", it is also noted for its "stunning location .....
on July 16, 2011 - Festival Zwart on July 9, 2011
- Home Festival on June 25, 2011
- Musicport World Music FestivalMusicport World Music FestivalMusicport World Music Festival is the UK's largest annual indoor world music festival . It was held in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, from 2000-2007. In 2008 it moves to The Spa, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire with a main hall capacity of 3,500...
on October 23, 2010 - SolfestSolfestSolfest is a Cumbrian arts organisation which runs an annual music festival held near to Silloth in Cumbria, England. It is held annually at Tarnside Farm on the August Bank Holiday weekend.- Solway Festival :...
Festival on August 29, 2010 - Shambala Festival on August 28, 2010
- Boom FestivalBoom FestivalThe Boom Festival is a biennial festival which takes place in Portugal.The festival features music, paint, sculpture, video art, installations cinema, theater and a concept of crosspollination of different art forms....
(Portugal) on August 20, 2010 - Big Chill Festival on August 6, 2010
- Camp BestivalCamp BestivalCamp Bestival is a British music festival, the "little sister" of Bestival, both organised by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank. It is held annually, in July, at Lulworth Castle in Dorset and is targeted at families with small children. It has a capacity of 10,000 adults and 5,000 children...
on August 1, 2010 - Cardiff Big WeekendCardiff Big WeekendThe Cardiff Big Weekend has taken place annually since 1995 as part of the Cardiff Festival organised by Cardiff Council. Billed as the UK’s biggest free outdoor music festival, it offers three days of quality live music and entertainment. Alongside the live music stage runs the UK’s largest...
on July 31, 2010 - Secret Garden Festival on July 26, 2010
- Trowbridge Village Pump FestivalTrowbridge Village Pump FestivalVillage Pump FestivalStarted over 30 years ago in a barn at the lamb Inn Trowbridge, it then moved to Stowford Manor Farm, Farleigh Hungerford, England...
on July 24, 2010 - Colours of OstravaColours of OstravaColours of Ostrava, or simply Colours, is a multi-genre festival, the biggest international music festival in the Czech Republic and one of the biggest music events in the Central Europe, held every summer in the centre of Ostrava, the third biggest city in the Czech Republic.Colours will celebrate...
(Czech Republic) on July 17, 2010 - United Islands Festival (Czech Republic) on June 26, 2010
- BestivalBestivalBestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
on September 10, 2009 - StreathamStreathamStreatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Festival on September 9, 2009 - Neuchatel (Switzerland) Festival on August 10, 2009
- CroydonCroydonCroydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
Festival on August 1, 2009 - EalingEalingEaling is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
Festival on July 26, 2009 - Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury FestivalThe Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
on June 24, 2009 - Paradise GardenParadise gardenThe Paradise garden is a form of garden, originally just paradise, a word derived from the Median language, or Old Persian. Its original meaning was "a walled-in compound or garden"; from pairi and daeza or diz...
Festival on June 20, 2009 - TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
World music festival (Norway) on September 20, 2008 - Bern Strassenmusik festival (Switzerland) on August 12, 2008
- PflasterspektakelPflasterspektakelThe Pflasterspektakel is an annual street art festival in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. It includes musical acts, juggling, acrobatics, pantomime, improvisational theatre, clownery, fire dancing, painting, samba parades, as well as a programme for children, and is held on three days in July...
(Austria) on July 22, 2008