Contact Details:
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 07766747319
BIO:
Bijoumiyo have taken giants strides since first appearing on the streets of hometown Cambridge late summer 2006, armed with little more than our instruments, a handful of batteries and a megaphone. Performing material which is virtually all improvised, our collective influences blend a fresh mix of progressive rock, soul, jazz and funk.
The way the band performs live is considered unique, in that the energy created by the audience actually feeds our creative force and actively dictates the evolution of the music itself. It's like fuel to the Bijou fire, this interaction really offering us an opportunity to form an intimately creative relationship with our audience through method not usually associated with more 'scripted' live performance. Energy from our surrounding environment actually has very special influence, in that it is directly translated into the creation and progression of our material at the very moment it is being created.
Whilst listing soul, funk and rock influences ranging from James Brown, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd would be obvious, Bijoumiyo has a tendency to meander between straight up sleaze funk grooves, and eerily ethereal - pop-edged mini-epics that are allowed to roam uncompromised by pre-written structures and constraints. Myles Sanko's soulful voice is encouraged to roam over the melody of delicately layered guitars, melodic keys and horns, whilst the solid and assured rhythm section provides groove and the ever-pounding heartbeat. On top of this there are often many welcome guest appearances from friends on sax, clarinet and trumpet to complete what can sometimes form up to an eight-piece group.
With regular slots across busy venues, festivals and countless hours of street performing to curious passers by, Bijoumiyo has amassed a considerable, and incredibly loyal audience spanning across all age groups. A big hit at last summers' Secret Garden Party for example, really proved that there is indeed huge demand for the original, organic music that we so passionately promote. This success is complemented by our hugely popular online presence, through which listeners can access recorded jams and find constantly updated information on an increasingly busy schedule of gig dates. We continue to enjoy recognition as the most popular Jam band on Myspace.
Having been fortunate enough to enjoy a good degree of success in the relative short-term, Bijoumiyo are looking forward to greater success for 2008 and beyond. An increasingly busy performance schedule has already dubbed us the 'hardest working band in Cambridge' and already armed with a back catalogue of hour upon hour of live recordings, we are currently working on the natural progression of continuing to produce structured tracks for promotion within the commercial market.
And by the way...
The word Bijoumiyo (so many people ask..!) is partly derived of the French word 'bijou' meaning 'jewel'. Our collective interpretation of our name roughly equates to 'Shining Jewel' - we'll be pleased to explain in more detail on request!
