About
Mission
The mission of the Max Crumble Orchestra (MCO) is to bring so-called elevator music to the masses. MCO is named in homage of Klaus “Max” Krumski, the legendary Hungarian bandleader generally regarded as the inventor of elevator music in 1928.
That year, while on tour in New York, the Krumski band was hired to play for a gala ball at Julius Pierpont’s new summer "cottage” in the Hamptons, especially to play inside the oversized elevator car that ferried guests between the cottage’s four levels.
While it is rare today to see a live band inside an elevator, the concept of using music to ease the discomfort of forced close proximity to our fellow beings has become so commonplace that we barely notice it today.
History
Max Crumble Orchestra (MCO) was formed in 2006 when two of its members (John and Rick) were separately hired to play Christmas music at the Pounding Hangover, a seedy Georgetown bar in South Seattle. The resulting collision and subsequent musical fallout overwhelmed the defenses of two other musicians (Andy and Tony) who had the misfortune to be in the same venue, sweeping them into the mix.
Since then, MCO has spent countless hours researching Krumski’s original arrangements, to bring you historically accurate performances of songs from the big-band, pop, flapper and folk-depression traditions. MCO is proud to be recognized as one of Washington State’s “greenest” bands, playing 100% recycled content.
Max Crumble
Tony Chiappa : Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Magic Spells
John Von Feldt : Bass, Guitars, Vocals
Rick Bidlack : Violas, Keyboards, Computers
Andy Laird : Violins, Keyboards, Computers
The Fifth Crumble
Truth : Sheila Coppola
Beauty : Robert Roth
Drums : Mark laFalce
gratus animus
Thanks to all those who have enabled our activities over the last many years -- friends, family, gig-hirers, listeners, artists, truckers, writers, printers, chemists, producers, welders, farmers, businessmen and tons more. It's been fun so far...
