Mudville (band)

Mudville
Marilyn Carino and Benny Cha Cha of Mudville
Background information
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, USA
Genres	Electronica Downtempo Post-Trip hop
Years active	2002 - present
Website	http://www.mudvillemusic.com/
Members	Marilyn Carino Benny "Cha Cha" Rubin Brian Charette John Walter Bollinger

Mudville is a Brooklyn, NY-based band and artist collective whose sound, a hybrid of downtempo, electronica, Memphis-style soul and jazz was dubbed, "post-trip hop" by John Donohue of The New Yorker. Core members Marilyn Carino and Ben (Benny Cha Cha) Rubin have distinguished themselves as adding sophistication to the genre with classic Hip hop stylings, elements of improvisational free jazz and attention to songcraft more influenced by Marvin Gaye and Duke Ellington than the minimalist, pop-based structure and lyrics by which the genre is most often characterized. The New York Post has lauded Mudville's "poetic lyrics, filled with imagery" and "otherworldly, blues-jazz feel" and Time Out New York characterized the band's live sound as "brainy, extended improvs... a potent fusion of jazz and space-rock.

The brainchild of bassist/producer Rubin and vocalist/songwriter Carino, Mudville began in San Francisco as a more straightforward rock band that prominently featured Hammond B3 organ. One independently-released CD was recorded in 1997 under Marilyn Carino's name, titled Long Island Lulu.

Upon relocating to New York in 2000, Carino and Rubin began collaborating on songs with Carino writing lyrics and melodies and Rubin producing tracks using a combination of painstakingly-arranged live instruments and digital sampling. Carino is known for her "serious chops", sultry, limber contralto voice and expressive phrasing which is often compared to Annie Lennox,Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan, and for her poetic, progressive-minded prose, which has drawn comparisons to that of Radiohead and R.E.M.. She has also co-written and sung on tracks produced by Sly and Robbie.