Armo's intimate and energetic sound focuses on classic and contemporary Afrobeat.
Founded by longtime Antibales bandmates, Armo consists of trumpeter percussionist Jordan McLean, percussionist/vocalist Marcus Farrar, guitarist/keyboardist Nikhil P. Yerawadekar, drummer Kevin Raczka, Justin Kimmel, & Dave “Smoota” Smith on trombone/keyboards. The band creates spontaneous arrangements of the music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Tony Allen, Ebo Taylor, William Onyeabor, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Amayo, and original rhythm-based compositions.
The band features a revolving cast from the Daptone Records family and NY Afrobeat scene. Collectively the members of Armo have performed thousands of concerts around the world working with such luminaries as David Byrne, Angelique Kidjo, Public Enemy, TV on the Radio, Sharon Jones & The Dapkings, Ornette Coleman, and in the band for the Tony Award-winning musical FELA!
With the goal of expanding the New York Afrobeat scene, the band held a monthly jam session at the legendary Bitter End in NYC’s West Village in 2023. Armo served as the house band for the City Winery/Carnegie Hall afterparty tribute to Paul McCartney, have restarted their years-long residency at Brooklyn’s famed Bar Lunatico, and were featured in the opening festival at the new PAC NYC in the World Trade Center campus.
JMMR (Jordan McLean’s Musical Resistance) brings you the newest sounds in tempo-based alternative jazz. Their debut album, Resistance is Fertile is due out in July on Nublu Records.
At the band’s core lies a fusion of synthetic and natural elements, where machines enhance human expression. Both familiar and unrecognizable, traditional musical techniques undergo electronic synthesis yielding unforeseen outcomes.
JMMR is:
Jordan McLean: Trumpet, Percussion, Synthesizers
Dave “Smoota” Smith: Trombone, Synthesizers
Tony Jarvis: Bass Clarinet, Synthesizers
John Walter Bollinger: Drums & Cymbals
The Bandwagon Summer Series is a family-friendly outdoor cultural performance series running from May through September. Performances including a diverse group of musical styles will take place at ballfields, farms, and parks throughout Putney, Brattleboro, and Bellows Falls. Kids under 12 always get in for free, and a dedicated play area will be available at all shows. Refreshments are sold onsite, including the return of the hugely popular Barr Hill cocktails, and food from Smokin' Bowls, 802 Soul Kitchen, or Putney General Store. Bring a picnic and a blanket or fold-up chair to enjoy our concerts.