Poi Dog Pondering

Poi Dog Pondering is an American musical group which is noted for its cross-pollination of diverse musical genres, including various forms of acoustic and electronic music. Frank Orrall founded the band in Hawaii in 1984, initially as a solo project, and as his music production alias. In 1986 Orrall formed the first line-up of PDP to perform its first concert at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The band then embarked on a yearlong street performance busking tour across North America. They eventually settled down in Austin, Texas in 1988, where they recorded 2 E.P. (extended play) albums for Texas Hotel Records, and 2 subsequent full-length albums for Columbia Records. In 1992, the band relocated to Chicago and they began to incorporate orchestral arrangements and elements of electronic, house music, and soul music into their acoustic rock style. The membership of Poi Dog Pondering has evolved from album to album, with over three dozen members having drifted in and out of the line-up; at any given time, the band may feature from eight to over a dozen players on stage. Frank Orrall (vocals, guitar, other instruments) has been the sole constant player since 1984 (the inception of the band). Abra Moore (vocals), John Nelson (percussion), and Ted Cho (electric guitar, mandolin, bass), Joined in 1986. Dave Max Crawford (organ, trumpet, accordion), Bruce Hughes (bass, vocals), Adam Sultan (guitar), and Susan Voelz (violin, guitar, vocals) joined the group in 1988, Erika Winklebleck (Superfan and broomstick bristler), Paul Mertens (flute, sax, clarinet), Dag Juhlin (guitar), Robert Cornelius, and Kornell Hargrove (vocals) joined in 1993. The rest of the current line-up joined in 1999 through early 2000. Some members have left the group and returned at various times. During the Hawaii years (1985–1986), the band had the following lineup: Frank Orrall – guitar, vocals, marimba, penny whistle Abra Moore – Guitar, vocals, accordion Sean Coffey – Drums John "el John" Nelson – Percussion Kalea Chapman – Guitar, vocals Jean Francois Berneron – Photographer, cook, vocals, recorder Cliff Kamida – Guitar, harmonica Ted Cho – Mandolin, guitar Joe Espinda – Guitar, recording engineer Matt Miller – Bass, vocals During the Austin years (1988–1992), the band had the following lineup: Frank Orrall – guitar, tin flute, drums, vocals Ted Cho – electric guitar, mandolin, bass Dave Max Crawford – organ, trumpet, accordion Darren Hess – drum kit (1991–1992) Bruce Hughes – bass, vocals, guitar John Nelson – congas, maracas, tom-toms, background vocals (1989–1992) Dick Ross – drum kit (1987–1990) Adam Sultan – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals Susan Voelz – violin, guitar, vocals Additionally, the records featured literally dozens of musicians credited as "Satellite Poi Members". Most prominent amongst these satellite members were vocalists Abra Moore and Malford Milligan, sound artist Ellen Fullman, drummer Sean Coffey and (on their third album) turntable operator Ashton "DJ Cassanova" Irons. Beginning with that third album, 1992's Volo Volo, the band began to experiment with new musical styles, including fully incorporating DJ Cassanova into the line-up. Orrall's emerging interest in dance and house music led the band to relocate to Chicago in 1992, where it developed a loyal local following and was named best band by Chicago magazine in 1997, and "Best Pop and Rock Act" in the 2009 Chicago Readers Poll. From 1993 to 1999, the band recorded the albums Pomegranate and Natural Thing and performed live with the following members in the lineup: Frank Orrall – guitar, vocals Dave Max Crawford – keyboards, clavinet Paul Mertens – sax, clarinet, flute Susan Voelz – violin Dag Juhlin – guitar Eddie Carlson – bass Brent Olds – bass Tom Ray – bass Nick Kitsos – drums Steve Goulding – drums Leddie Garcia – percussion Arlene Newson – backing vocals Kornell Hargrove – backing vocals Robert Cornelius – backing vocals Satellite members: Brigid Murphy – alto saxophone Jason More – berimbau Lloyd Brodnax King – alto flute Katherine Pisaro – oboe From 1999 to 2013 (and for the album releases In Seed Comes Fruit, 7 and Audio Love Letter), the band had the following members: Frank Orrall – vocals, guitar, piano, synth. vibes, drums, samples, sequencing John "El John" Nelson – percussion, drums Susan Voelz – violin, vocals Paul Mertens – flute, sax, clarinet Leddie Garcia – congas, bongos, ganzas, bells, shakers, various percussion Kornell Hargrove – vocals Ron Hall – bass Rick Gehrenbeck – Rhodes electric piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizers Charlette Wortham – vocals Alison Chesley – cello Carla Prather – vocals Tim Gant – piano, synthesizers Earl A. Talbot – drums Dan Leali – drums Frank Orrall – vocals, guitar, piano, synth. vibes, drums, samples, sequencing Abra Moore – guitar, vocals, accordion John Nelson – congas, bongos, drums, various percussion Ted Cho – guitar, mandolin Dave Max Crawford – organ, piano, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, electric piano (Wurlitzer), clavinet, synthesizer, theremin Susan Voelz – violin, vocals Paul Mertens – flute, sax, clarinet Dag Juhlin – guitar Kornell Hargrove – vocals Ron Hall – bass Rick Gehrenbeck – Rhodes electric piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizers Charlette Wortham – vocals Robert Cornelius – vocals Carla Prather – vocals Ryan Murphy – drums Cicely Elam – vocals Naomi Davis – vocals Poi Dog Pondering PDP X 1 (1984) Poi Dog Pondering Soliloqui PDP X 2 (1985) 8 Songs by Poi Dog Pondering PDP X 3 (1985) Poi Dog Pondering Thawing Spring PDP X 5 (1986) Poi Dog Pondering Dig PDP X 4 (1986) Hawaii to Texas (live 1987) Vision Farming Hula Circus (live 1987) Poi Dog Pondering (1989) Wishing Like a Mountain and Thinking Like the Sea (1990) Volo Volo (1992) Pomegranate (1995) Natural Thing (1999) In Seed Comes Fruit (2003) 7 (2008) Audio Love Letter (2011) Everybody's Got a Star (2015) Remnants of Summer (2018) Keep on Loving Each Other (2023) Fruitless (EP) (1990) Vague Gropings in the Slip Stream (Palm Fabric Orchestra) (1994) Electrique Plummagram (Re-Mix Album) (1996) That's the Way Love Is (Re-Mix EP) (1999) Intermittent Transmissions from the SlipStream (Palm Fabric Orchestra) (2018) Liquid White Light (1997) Soul Sonic Orchestra (2000) Live at Metro Chicago (4-CD set, paired with DVD release, Dec 21, 2012) Sweeping Up the Cutting Room Floor (2001) The Best of Poi Dog Pondering (The Austin Years) (2005) Song Seeds of 7 (Demos and Outtakes) (2018) Four on the Floor – Dance Floor Rarities and Remixes: 1994–2018 (2018) Sweeping Up the Cutting Room Floor – Volume 2 (2018) The Best of The Hawai'i Years" Poi Dog Pondering (2024) Audio Visivo (2004) Live at Metro Chicago (2 DVD set, paired with CD release, Dec 21, 2012) "Data". platetectonicmusic.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012. "Platetectonic Music: Home of Poi dog ponde". Archived from the original on October 29, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Official site Their page on Allmusic Albums available on BandCamp Poi Dog Pondering group page on FaceBook Poi Dog Pondering MySpace page