Incredible footage of TONTO and Stevie Wonder

I know I say this all the time, but this footage of Stevie Wonder playing 'Living for the City' with TONTO really is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. TONTO was two guys, one British and one American, with a vast polyphonic analog synth built out of Moog, Serge and Arp components. So here's Stevie jamming with Robert and Malcolm tweaking the machine in the background looking like a biker gang made up of mad scientists. And they're doing it in Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady studios. Wow. If that's not enough, there's also this extraordinary clip, which I won't even try to describe.
Meanwhile, in what could be a slight anti-climax, TONTO are performing this weekend at the splendid Big Chill Festival in Herefordshire. Malcolm Cecil is "creating a 'Virtual TONTO' and will play live over pre recorded backing tracks." Mr Wonder is not expected to appear. (via MatrixSynth here and here)

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

glad my uploads are appreciated :-)

# posted by

analoghell : 12:39 am

With alla this TONTO loving going on, I'm gonna toss out a challenge regarding another legendary synth from the depths of time.

Anybody remember Robert Mason and Stardrive? Anybody have *any* bumf on Mason's modular, which (legend has it) was generating primitive polyphony in the late '60's/real early '70's? I heard tracks from Stardrive vinyl years ago...think 'Hawkwind meets Tim Blake backstage at a Blue Cheer gig' and you've got the right idea, but details on the apparently way-ahead-of-its-time synthtech are currently pure unobtainium.

I've wondered about this for decades, truth be told...

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:21 am

i don't know much abour Stardrive, other than Robert Mason got some steller players to do those records with him, and it is definitely a paraphonic synth.

i have both albums. they are definitely the hottest DIY synth funk i've ever heard.

i hope they see proper reissuing someday.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7:01 am

also, the Stardrive system did use the ARP 2500 format, and had some 2500 modules in it.

i'll try to post a good pic of it tomorrow.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7:02 am

BOOTSY!!!!

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:05 am

Cool video, if you want a good laugh, TONTO also appears in 'Phantom of the paradise'...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005LIRB/104-0302549-7186314?vi=quotes-trivia&n=130

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:06 am

Looks like a killer doc actually, anybody have any news whether it'll show up on Region 1 dvd? God love brit musicdocs (mmm...Classic Albums.... droooool....) Anybody see the whole show?

Off-ish topic, we got the Time/Warner Rock 'n Roll doc, but not the superior BBC one, wonder when that'll show up...

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:03 pm

Where did I hear that Phantom riff before? It'll come to me later but I know someone used the same chords before... later.

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:52 pm

great to see...

# posted by

Joshua Blevins Peck : 3:14 am

It's worth mentioning that TONTO just did a gig this very weekend at the Big Chill Festival in Malvern, Herefordshire.

I wasn't there as I was elsewhere feeling slightly 'refreshed', but by all accounts it was very good

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:27 pm

I was there at the Big Chill performance. TBH I was a bit disappointed, but in some ways that was almost inevitable after the start of the show which featured those very clips from that documentary.
Malcolm Cecil seemed to be having a whale of a time though and he turned up later to sign CDs. So I did get meet him and get a signed CD after the show :-)

# posted by

Anonymous : 12:21 am

A dj in myu youth, I used to remix also. Now being older, was cleaning out old vinyl.. I found a near mint copy of Robert Mason's STARDRIVE lp. Just popped it onto my SP10-MKII and it sounds fantastic. Not no need to keep it. sjaffe@cfl.rr.com

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:47 pm