Chimo! (Inuit for "Hello") was a Canadian jazz-rock/

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

band, founded in 1969. The band played with some of the biggest acts of their era, and recorded one album, ''Cross Country Man'' for

Revolver Records Recreational Records was a British record label set up in 1981 by the Bristol record shop and distributor Revolver Records. Originally formed as an independent record label with its own distribution as part of the Cartel. Revolver Records and ...

History

Chimo! evolved from Georgian IV, a band formed in

Parry Sound Parry Sound is a Sound (geography), sound or bay of Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, in Ontario, Canada. It is highly irregularly shaped with many deep bays and islands. Killbear Provincial Park is located on the large peninsula that separates the sou ...

in 1962 by John Johnson, Ross Raby, Stewart McCann and Rick King. After seven years of increasing success the band saw major personnel changes and, in 1969, changed its name to Chimo!, with the original line-up of Jack Mowbray (guitar), Tony Collacott (keyboards), Ross Raby (keyboards, vocals), John Johnson (guitar), Andy Cree (drums), and Breen La Boeuf (lead vocals). Also in 1969, the band played alongside

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

at the

Toronto Rock and Roll Revival The Toronto Rock and Roll Revival was a one-day, twelve-hour music festival held in Toronto on September 13, 1969. It featured a number of popular musical acts from the 1950s and 1960s. Held less than a month after Woodstock, the festival is par ...

and, on June 28, 1970, opened the second day of the

Festival Express ''Festival Express'' is a 2003 British documentary film about the 1970 train tour of the same name across Canada taken by some of North America's most popular rock bands, including Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Buddy Guy, Flying Burrito ...

with

The Band The Band was a Canadian-American rock music, rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1957. It consisted of the Canadians Rick Danko (bass, guitar, vocals, fiddle), Garth Hudson (organ, keyboards, accordion, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, d ...

and

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter. One of the most iconic and successful Rock music, rock performers of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and her "electric" ...

at the

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Stadium. They also appeared at the Midsummer Night Rock Festival at

Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum (also Hockeytown State Fair Coliseum) was a 5,600-seat multi-purpose arena in Detroit, Michigan. The coliseum, built in 1922, was part of the former Michigan State Fairgrounds until its demolition in early 202 ...

with

Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...

, The Poor Souls, Iggy &

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, and others. Following the release of the band's album ''Cross Country Man'' in November 1970, Andy Cree left to do sessions for

David Wiffen David Wiffen (born 11 March 1942) is an English-Canadian folk singer-songwriter. Two of his songs, "Driving Wheel" and "More Often Than Not", have become cover standards. Early life Wiffen was born in Redhill, Surrey, England.

before joining

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian country, pop and adult contemporary music singer who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray has won four Grammys including the Grammy ...

's band. He was replaced by Pat Little, who had previously been with

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, and had been doing session work for

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and

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. The new line-up was responsible for two singles, Little's "In The Sea" and Mowbray's "Cross Country Man". In 1971, Raby, Johnson and Collacott left the band to start families (save for Collacott, who would have no children). Little joined the band Heaven and Earth, and then founded the band Flag. LeBoeuf joined a re-formed Motherlode and, in 1977, Offenbach.

Personnel

Breen LeBoeuf Chimo! (Inuit for "Hello") was a Canadian jazz-rock/jazz fusion band, founded in 1969. The band played with some of the biggest acts of their era, and recorded one album, ''Cross Country Man'' for Revolver Records. History Chimo! evolved from Ge ...

: vocals * Ross Raby: organ, vocals * Jack Mowbray: guitars, vocals * John Johnson: bass, vocals * Andy Cree: drums, percussion * Pat Little: drums, percussion * Tony Collacott: piano

Recordings

References

Sources

* "1,500 rock groups in search of smash records", Toronto Telegram, September 17, 1970, page 33 * Bill Munson's sleeve for Chimo! CD on Pacemaker * Interview with Breen LeBoeuf, 2004 I love Chimo! {{DEFAULTSORT:Chimo Canadian rock music groups Revolver Records (Canada) artists