Ali Baba's Tahini
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Ali Baba's Tahini was a South Bend, Indiana trio that incorporated everything from jazz and fusion to rock and avant garde. The band, which formed in 1997, made a name for themselves on the Midwest club circuit and began sharing gigs with an up and coming Umphrey's McGee.
The original group featured bassist/vocalist Karl Engelmann, guitarist/vocalist Jake Cinninger, and drummer Steve Krojniewski. They released their debut album Hopi Champa in 1999. The album has become a sought-after collectors item since going out of print in 2002.
Engelmann left the band in 1999 and was replaced by Kahlil Smylie for the album Limbo Boots. The departure of Engelmann, one of the band's main songwriters and singers, was a drastic change for the band. A few months later, Cinninger disbanded Ali Baba's Tahini to join Umphrey's McGee, where he remains to this day.
Three years later in 2003, a four-man Ali Baba's Tahini (with Smylie on bass and Engelmann on guitar) reunited for a one-off performance in Niles, Michigan.
The following year, the original lineup of the band (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski) reunited in the North Carolina mountains to record the album Rockstars and Lawnmowers. The band has yet to tour, though rumors persist of a short run in the fall of 2006.
Engelmann now fronts Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar, who, along with Umphrey's McGee, performs a number of Ali Baba's Tahini songs in concert.
Discography
1. Hopi Champa (1999) (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski)
2. Limbo Boots (2000) (Smylie/Cinninger/Krojniewski)
3. Rockstars and Lawnmowers (2005) (Engelmann/Cinninger/Krojniewski)
Members
Karl Engelmann: bass, vocals (1997-1999, 2004)
Jake Cinninger: guitar, vocals
Steve Krojniewski: drums
Kahlil Smylie: bass (1999-2000)
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