Nicky Bomba
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Nicholas Caruana (born 7 September 1963), also known as Nicky Bomba, is an Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He is the leader of the ARIA Award-winning
Melbourne Ska Orchestra Melbourne Ska Orchestra are an ARIA Award-winning Australian ska band formed in 2003 in Melbourne. The group has up to 34 members, and is led by bandleader Nicky Bomba, formerly of the John Butler Trio. The band are signed to FOUR FOUR, an im ...
, frontman of his band, Bomba, as well as the former drummer and percussionist of
John Butler Trio The John Butler Trio were an Australian Folk music, roots-Rock music, rock band led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler (musician), John Butler, an Australasian Performing Right Association, APRA and ARIA-award-winning musician. They formed in ...
(2003–04, 2009–13). He has performed in other acts and as a solo artist. Note: n-lineversion was expanded from the 2002 edition. His youngest sister, Danielle Caruana, (who performs as Mama Kin), is married to his former bandmate, John Butler. His older brother, Michael Caruana, is a member of Bomba and of Mama Kin's backing band.


Early life

Nicholas Caruana was born on 7 September 1963 in
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, he later performed under the name Nicky Bomba. His father, Nicholas "Nicol" Caruana (born 4 June 1933) and mother, Iris (born 8 October 1934) had four children, Josephine, Michael, Carmen and Nicholas, in Malta. The family migrated to Australia in late 1964 and lived in the Melbourne suburb of Newport. They had two more children, including their youngest daughter, Danielle (who later performed as Mama Kin). Bomba started learning drums when he was six years old.


Career


1978-1997: Early years and The Truth

In 1978 Bomba formed a cover band with his brother, Michael, called Fugitive Flight. In 1982 they began playing original music with Peter Miller on lead vocals, Steve Morgan on bass guitar (later of Icehouse), and Peter Weeda on guitar. They soon changed their name to Guided Tour. After working in a variety of lesser known bands, Bomba formed
The Truth The Truth may refer to: Film * ''The Truth'' (1920 film) starring Madge Kennedy * ''The Truth'' (1960 film) or ''La Vérité'', a French film by Henri-Georges Clouzot starring Brigitte Bardot * ''The Truth'' (1988 film), a Hong Kong trial cri ...
in 1991 in Melbourne as a funk group. Initially Bomba was on drums with Michael on keyboards, Tony Kopa on lead vocals and Geoff Wells on guitars. Their debut single, "Secrets", was recorded in December 1992 and was followed by "My Heavy Friend" (1993). The Truth released a self-titled album in 1995, and in 1997 added a bass player, Mick Girasole, for the release of their second album, ''Headspace'' with the band re-branded as Truth. The Truth broke up in late 1997. In September 1996 Bomba had supplied drums for The Ross Hannaford Trio, with Hannaford on lead vocals and guitar and Howard Cairns on bass guitar. The trio issued a self-titled album on
Mushroom Records Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival ...


1998-2004: formation of Banana Oil and Melbourne Ska Orchestra

In 1998, Bomba formed a jazz band called Banana Oil, with Andy Baylor on guitar, Tim Neal on keyboards and David Williamson on saxophone. They released an album, ''Guavo Lampo''. At the APRA Music Awards of 1998 Banana Oil members, Bomba (as Nicholas Caruana), Chris Tabone and Trevor Wraight, won Most Performed Jazz Work for their composition, "My Family". The group were also nominated in the same category for "Baylorology" by Baylor and "Neal Shuffle" by Neal. In 1999 Bomba formed the band Bomba as a reggae-funk group with himself on guitar, percussion and lead vocals; Simon Bourke on keyboards; Phil Bywater on alto and tenor saxophones and clarinet; Paul Coyle on trumpet and trombone; Barry Deenick on bass guitar and vocals; George Servanis on drums, percussion and vocals; and Mal Webb on trombone and vocals. In 2003 his brother, Michael, replaced Bourke on keyboards. By 2006 the group had released four albums, ''Population'' (April 2000), ''Solar Plexus'' (February 2002), ''Learn to Breathe'' (March 2005) and ''Bomba Vs. Laroz'' (September 2006). In March 2003 Bomba founded the
Melbourne Ska Orchestra Melbourne Ska Orchestra are an ARIA Award-winning Australian ska band formed in 2003 in Melbourne. The group has up to 34 members, and is led by bandleader Nicky Bomba, formerly of the John Butler Trio. The band are signed to FOUR FOUR, an im ...
with an ensemble of between 27 and 32 musicians. His "idea was to get as many horn players as possible on stage at the same time playing ska skank, the accented upbeat that is typical of ska, the genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s." In November that year Bomba joined John Butler (his brother-in-law), together with Shannon Birchall on upright bass, as part of the
John Butler Trio The John Butler Trio were an Australian Folk music, roots-Rock music, rock band led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler (musician), John Butler, an Australasian Performing Right Association, APRA and ARIA-award-winning musician. They formed in ...
to record that group's third studio album, ''
Sunrise Over Sea ''Sunrise Over Sea'' is the third studio album by Australian band the John Butler Trio. It was released in March 2004. Conception and production In late 2003, John Butler entered Woodstock Studios in Melbourne, which is owned by Joe Camilleri, ...
''. In March 2004, after the release of the album, he resumed his association with Bomba and with Melbourne Ska Orchestra.


2005-present: Solo work and Bustamento

In 2005 Bomba and Joe Camilleri released ''Limestone'', an album of covers and original music. In 2007 he recorded an album of Maltese songs, ''Nicol Caruana'', with his father, Nicol. This was followed in 2008 with ''Jah in the Moment'', which he then toured with a trio around Australia. In 2009 he released, ''Planet Juice'', his first solo album, on which he played drums, guitar,
ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...
and
marimba The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the mari ...
. By July 2009 he had re-joined John Butler Trio, now with Byron Luiters on bass guitar alongside Butler. They recorded the group's fifth studio album, '' April Uprising'' (March 2010). Bomba and Butler co-wrote the track, "Take Me". The trio's sixth album, '' Flesh & Blood'', was released in February 2014. On 31 August 2013, Butler announced that Bomba had left John Butler Trio. Bomba appears on ten of its eleven tracks and co-wrote material with Butler and Luiters. During 2012 Bomba focussed on a side-project, Bustamento, to perform
mento Mento is a style of Music of Jamaica, Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. It is a fusion of African rhythmic elements and European elements, which reached peak popularity in the 1940s and 1950s. ...
music with a line-up of Bomba band members, Michael, Coyle, Deenick and Servanis, and new collaborators, Lennox Jordan on
steelpan The steelpan (also known as a pan or steel drum) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago from Afro–Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Afro-Trinidadians. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. In 1992, the steelpan was declared ...
s and Peter Mitchell on saxophone. They recorded ''Intrepid Adventures to the Lost Riddim Islands'' over a week-end and released it on 14 May 2012; they followed with a tour in June and July. Bustamento issued their second album, ''Intercontinental Journey 7'', on 28 November 2014. Lukas Murphy of ''Issuu'' magazine felt the album was "to be taken with a healthy dose of carefreeness" as exemplified by lyrics where "nonsense is rarely utilised in such a juxtapositional way, matched with both expertise and musical frivolity." From September 2014 Bomba worked with Melbourne Ska Orchestra to provide a musical accompaniment to the fireworks display for Melbourne's New Year's Eve celebrations. In October 2021, Bomba released ''Food and Shelter''. All the songs on the album relate to the theme of food and shelter.


Personal life

Bomba's sister, Danielle Caruana, performs as Mama Kin, and is married to John Butler. His brother Michael Caruana also plays in Mama Kin and Bomba.


Discography


Albums


Awards and nominations


ARIA Music Awards

The
ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of
Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions o ...
. They commenced in 1987. ! , - ,
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, ''Intrepid Adventures to the Lost Riddim Island'' , Best World Music Album , , ARIA Award previous winners. , -


Music Victoria Awards

The
Music Victoria Awards The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating music from the Australian state of Victoria. They commenced in 2006 and are awarded in Melbourne Music W ...
are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006. ! , - ,
2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, Nicky Bomba , Best Reggae and Dancehall Work , , , -


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bomba, Nicky 1963 births Living people APRA Award winners Australian drummers Australian male drummers Australian male singers Maltese emigrants to Australia