Over the years, hundreds of the best jazz, rock, Broadway, television, recording and symphonic musicians in the New York City area have played with The Umano Orchestra. We salute them all for their donation of time, compositions, musicianship and wisdom. We thank them all for their friendship.
Influences
Phil Woods, Dr. Arthur Frank, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Parker, Quincy Jones, Dr. Hoyle Carpenter, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Gil Evans, Oliver Nelson, Vincent Persichetti, Arthur C. Clarke, Aldous Huxley, Ernest Hemingway--and, of course, Lilian T. Mowrer and Umano.
In 1978, Thom and Lorry Gambino founded THE UMANO ORCHESTRA, a 26-piece jazz-rock ensemble which utilized many cross-cultural musical influences. They also formed THE UMANO FOUNDATION, a non-profit, tax-exempt institution which fosters the establishment of a World Federation under real, enforced international law.
The Umano Orchestra and Foundation were named after Gaetano Meale, an Italian judge who came into his own at the turn of the 20th century. His tireless work in cross-cultural studies and the feasability of a World Center of Communications were explained in his 1912 book entitled "Essay on the International Constitution."
Judge Meale's pen name was UMANO, Italian for human being. His concepts were first introduced to Thom & Lorry when they (by chance) found a book by legendary journalist Lilian T. Mowrer entitled "Umano and the Price of Lasting Peace." They contacted the elderly Mrs. Mowrer and began The Umano Foundation with her.
The Gambinos carry the torch for her and Judge Meale's dreams to this day.
The orchestra also embodied Umano's concept. It was a group of men and women from many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and the music reflected that.
The music has a unique and mesmerizing blend of power that can either hypnotize you with its beauty or make you sit up and feel its explosive groove.
Enjoy!
Just got back from Trader Joe's out on Long Island New York...as we're picking up cans of organic black beans, my song "You're My Shining Star" is playing throughout the store and continues with 3 more songs from my CD. A friend said it was playing at the Hard Rock in NYC as well. OK, it's not Madison Square Garden or ...E! network, so slowly but surely we're aiming for that tipping point...and what a great ride it is!
Hey Thom... It was good to speak with you the other day. I am glad your feeling better and mostly that you have a positive outlook of the whole incident.... Sure don't want anything to happen to my good friend and musical mentor of sorts. Damn I used to come into the Village (Manhattan, NY) to see you with Brownie's Revenge at Trudy Heller's, so many years ago. I too played there with a group I was in back then in '76 called Pegasus.... Those were interesting and exciting times... Sure wish we had the internet back then.... Always ... Your friend - Bruce
Pending the new release "Melotonine" (release date coming soon), i decided to offer you a part of my best recent works in a free EP, "Cupboard Replacement", downloadable in all numeric formats with special graphic art works by Flint on Music AutOmatiK's Website :
We can stay in contact on facebook now... Thanks for your support !
Hi, If you live in New York or the surroundings you can help the French band Jack Dupon by contacting Dave Roberge from Transit Music Group. Here to comment : www.myspace.com/transitmusicgroup Here for an e-mail : transitmusic2@aol.com And tell him, Yes we want Jack Dupon for a United-States-Tour in 2010. Thanks and greetings from France......
Sorry for taking so long to get back. Thanks for finding me. I really enjoyed listening to your music. And Tom Varner used to play with you! He is a great inspiration to me.
Good evening, thank you Thom and Lorry Gambino for your friendship and for taking the time to listen. I sincerely appreciate your music, I love the brass, you have a good old sound of familles.j 't finished ahead of you listen. live in my top. thank you for your message of love. the world and live music. bonne continuation. Friendship dom
New record "Odo Sanbra" out now! Look for us on the Africa Channel this Fall! Profile of OBDBI guitarist Nathaniel Braddock in new Guitar Player Magazine! New collaboration with Samba Mapangala debuting this month!
