Album Notes

Malarkey is a cross genre spoken word and rhythm band incorporating rock, hip hop, jazz and world beats.

Their self-titled debut was described by a local reviewer as "Falling somewhere between jazzy world music and manic spoken word; Robert Baker's spoken word portraits are underlined by saxophone, bass, guitar and percussion..the words stand true, with wit, in a field usually overrun by pretensions, which are thankfully absent on this disc...the only complaint I have is that the disc is too short."

The song "Chameleon" was described as "a mamba-esque collage of sounds, rhythms and words that conjures up images of a sinister, shadowy Larry Bud Mellman doing his best Tom Waits." - The Tornado, Summer 2001

"Malarkey dubbed its colorfully covered new album, "Chameleon," a title that summarizes this some-assembly-required collective's expansive repertoire. (A trio in theory, Malarkey welcomes contributions from more than a dozen recognizable local musicians...) However, the meaning of the name "Chameleon" goes beyond the band's ability to weave together free-jazz piano splats, flamenco guitar, Irish jigs, a desert-dive-ready Tex Mex horn section, exotic world music percussion and hepcat, can-you-dig-it wordplay...This is a concept album about a hermaphrodite named J.D. ("A Jane or John Doe/There was no way to know"), and his/her sometimes perverse, sometimes scary, always interesting escapades. Complete with testimonials ("He grew parts, little girls' parts," recalls one rural acquaintance with a convincing trailer park twang), "Chameleon" sets up its story so thoroughly that the abrupt shifts in musical style feel more like plot twists than jarring musical aberrations." - Andrew Miller, Pitch Weekly, January 17, 2002 (Kansas City's Arts and Entertainment weekly)


Malarkey's Chameleon is sort an attempt at the Tommy of spoken word CDs: Several related spoken word pieces that tell fragments of a larger story, with music backgrounds. A lot of it works...The eclectic music is pretty good, and the story is science fiction. My favorite cut is Jigsaw Man, funk about organ transplants. Chameleon tells a dark story about a guy who can change identities and while this keeps the authories at bay, it means he has no place in the world.
- Dave Romm @ www.romm.org/CD2

Malarkey is:

Robert Baker - words, woodwinds
Brian Schey - guitars, bass
Colin Sean Mahoney - drums