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.

History

Chimo! evolved from Georgian IV, a band formed in Parry Sound 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

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at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival and, on June 28, 1970, opened the second day of the Festival Express with

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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 with

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, 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 before joining

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's band. He was replaced by Pat Little, who had previously been with Luke & The Apostles, and had been doing session work for

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and Peter, Paul & Mary. 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: 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