TONTO'S
EXPANDING HEAD BAND is an innovative project by electronic composers and
sound-engineers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, having an
influence on different other references or an diverse artists. The
innovation is the instrument itself, "The Original New Timbral
Orchestra", which is the first multitimbral polyphonic analog
synthesizers and still the largest, design print of Malcolm Cecil (who
had serious engineering background) and, since Robert Margouleff sold
him the ownership, private owner of it and its performance. The project
of the entire instrument system started back in '69 or '68 by
Margouleff's MoogIIIc and Moog modules, then with New Timbers and
modularly transformed, Serge, Oberheims and Arps, polyphonic
instruments, finishing mostly in 1970. Recent additions include SEMs and
EMS gear, finally to go on digital sequencers Vocoders. The sounds and
sensations of its effective instrumentality are considered, up to date,
impossible to replicate from newer midis, digitals and samplers. Malcolm
Cecil was awarded one or two times with Grammy for engineering
performance, as was also Robert Margouleff. The duo set on the early 70s
with the applauded effort of "Zero Time" (1971), drawing the style of
warmness and musicality, advancing already in the generation. Steve
WONDER can be considered the main artist which was influenced, then
involved with TONTO on later works ("Music of My Mind"," Talking Book",
"Innervisions", "Jungle Fear"), Cecil and Margouleff being associate
producers and programmers. TONTO stopped existing for themselves after a
second album, in 1975, "It's About Time", still co-featured or
collaborators or a large scale of projects, going onto pop (Quincy
JONES, Bobby WOMACK) or white rock (Steve HILLAGE), into the concept's
changing (Dave MASON) layers or the notes of improvisation (WEATHER
REPORT). The synthesizer system got used in "Phantom Of The Paradise",
a film by Brian De Palma. For the most recent attitude, the duo came
back with an album re-discovering and re-interpreting the "Zero Time"
album and passages from "It's About Time" (a great move mainly
considering the out of print originals). The modern interest somehow
arouses at times, festivals including the repertoire of their music,
dedications towards their style, art pieces even full invitations of
TONTO performances ("Virtual TONTO live" in August 2006) In music, TONTO
has the in disguisable effect of experimentalism and open
"samplitudes". The result of the 1971 album is actually different that
the main music the electronic range (or disambiguation, for that matter)
went over back them. The 1975 creation is even more plastic. The albums
are mainly a gesture of interpretative forms taken experimentally and,
as alluded, expanded. TONTO'S EXPANDING HEAD BAND deserves a place in
the style and the reflection of electronic history. Line-up / Musicians Malcolm Cecil/keyboards,programmers,origin Robert Margouleff/keyboards,programmers,origin Discography(Album) Zero Time 1971
