Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"(Victory Gardens, four stars) An exceptional debut." - New Musical Express
"... sensitive, thoughtful and talented... Mary's voice is convival yet full of deep feeling, while John's
is conversational, homespun and honest." - Stereo Review
"( The Pinwheel Galaxy, four stars) ... the combined effect is one of warm, uncluttered beauty." - Buffalo News
"Lombardo is a fine songwriter whose adeptness at illustrating quiet desparation and rustic spirituality becomes more apparent with each listen." - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"John is John Lombardo, once... guitarist and chief tunesmith for 10,000 Maniacs... Mary is Mary Ramsey, a singer and violinist with an almost inhumanly rich, warm, angelic voice." - Melody Maker
"That John Lombardo is one of the very great tunesmiths and guitarists of our age is a secret destined to be passed around like some indiscernible antique curio in years to come." - Melody Maker
"John and Mary draw you into their world. It's a somtimes melancholy sentimental journey, but one well worth taking." - Villagr View
Discography
Victory Gardens - Rykodisc 1990
The Weedkillers's Daughter - Rykodisc 1993
Love Among the Ruins - John & Mary with 10,000 Maniacs - Geffen 1997
The Earth Pressed Flat - John & Mary with 10,000 Maniacs - Bar None Records 1999
The Pinwheel Galaxy - Indie 2001
PEACE BRIDGE - Blackrock Records 2007
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
OUR NEW CD IS FINISHED AND WILL BE RELEASED AUGUST 1st. BUT RIGHT HERE YOU CAN HEAR SIX SELECTIONS FROM "PEACE BRIDGE" A RECORD YOU HAVE TO HEAR AND WILL WANT TO OWN.
John Lombardo was a founding member of 10,000 Maniacs who wrote or co-wrote with Natalie Merchant the first 2 indie albums that got them signed to Electra Records. Leaving the band on the cusp of national success John teamed up with the classicaly trained violinest Mary Ramsey who also had an amazing voice. They signed with Rykodisc in
1990 and recorded Victory Gardens and The Weedkillers Daughter('93) with Rob Buck and Jerome Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs. The folk duo
John and Mary has always had a bit of a dichotomy- hauntingly pristine live performances on one hand combined with full-blown band instrumentation on their recorded work. Those albums included some of the worlds most enigmatic musicians, including
Alex Chilton, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Joey Molland, Augie Meyers and the late great Ronnie Lane. Now John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey have augmented their new group, The Valkyries, with some of Buffalo's most interesting musicians as well. The collective includes Patrick Kane( The Stains, Paisley Tease, The Uncalled For),Rob Lynch( Rex Hobart, Doug Yeomans Ban, Plaster Sandals), Kent Weber(The Fems, Electroman, David Kane Quartet),Joe Rozler( Man'O'War, Sid Winkler Trio, Outer Circle Orchestra), and Nelson Starr( The Tails, The Eric Starr Band, The Jeff Martin Band). The group is currently recording their first CD together at Dwane Hall's lengendary Sessions Studio with a tentative release date of July 13th, 2007. Touring this summer and fall.
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