Mendoza Dance Parti

'The Mendoza Dance Parti can be described as new form of urban funk !' The Amsterdam based band Mendoza Dance Parti started in the summer of 1993. Since ?93 the seven-piece band already created 3 vinyl-maxis, 2 cd-singles and 5 cd-albums, which reflects the productivity and creativeness of the band. The band is wellknown for their groovy and energetic live shows all over Europe. The Mendoza's don't only play at big megastages, but also at more intimate clubs, pubs and festivals.

The Amsterdam based band Mendoza Dance Parti started in the summer of 1993. Since ?93 the seven-piece band already created 3 vinyl-maxis, 2 cd-singles and 5 cd-albums, which reflects the productivity and creativeness of the band. The band is wellknown for their groovy and energetic live shows all over Europe. The Mendoza's don't only play at big megastages, but also at more intimate clubs, pubs and festivals.

Live playing with a strong line up, the Mendoza's have recorded their albums with additional vocalists, rappers and horns to create a fat and funky sound. Their CD's were reviewed in OOR (the most important music magazine in Holland) as ?fabulous' and described as one of the best of its kind in the Dutch Funk Scene!

With vocalist Linda Bloemhard and Canadian drummer Greg Smith the group developed a dynamic and organic funk-sound. The group started in the early years with more jazzy orientated songs, the last album 'This Life' contains more crossover elements between funk, drumnbass and popsongs. You can hear influences from for example the JB-Horns or Earth, Wind & Fire but also Hip-Hop or Drum 'n Bass. Recorded on vintage analogue equipment in a centuries old farmers house, the album is even more dynamic and surprisingly fresh as the former CD Birdskin!

Despite the love for old and analogue sounds and equipments, the Mendoza's are children of the new millenium. Since 1997 already (!) you can find lots of multimedia stuff like video's, picture gallery and free MP3's on heir albums and website www.mendoza.nl

In 2005 the Mendoza's have released a 5th album, with a fresh & funky new team with a team of wonderfull soulfull vocalists from Holland. Beware of screamingoutloud young talents such as Raffaela Herbert or Ivar but also Junior, Job, Moon Baker, Lilian Vieira or Linda can make you shiver for a long time (you can find some mp3 snippets on this site of the new album..). Check out the Mendoza's on the road to feel the most!

But now: Back to 1993!

Back in 1993, a local pop-organization from home-town Deventer (located in the eastern part of Holland), pressed 500 CD's containing tracks of local artists and one of them was the Mendoza Dance Parti. The response was so good that the Mendoza's wanted more of this. Unfortunately there were no record labels available at that time who were interested in a release, so the Mendoza's formed their own label 'Phunky Pheasant Records'. And on this label, in the summer of 1993, the 6-trackvinyl EP ?Pheasants' came out!

This record was quickly followed by the second Phunky Pheasant release, in the year 1994. This 6-track vinyl EP ?Strazz' features the Groningen based rapper Sherlock. Sales all over the world proved the credibility of the Mendoza's.

Because of strong demand from the audience, these two records were compiled on 1 CD. At this time the Mendoza's already played all over Europe, from Barcelona to Hamburg and lots of stages and festivals between! In the summer of 1994 ?Strazz Jazz Compilation' CD came into this world. The tracks on this CD were all recorded 'live' to 8-track, with a very ambient lively and ?rare groove' character.

In 1995 the album ?Speedy Chicken' was released on CD. Recorded in the Boterdiep Studio Groningen and some additional live tracks (Boogaloo Club Berlin), this CD gives a impression of a band with a strong live-approach. With Mo'nique Bakker (Moon Baker) as the new gifted singer and Frans Cornelissen as the new trombone player, the material gets a special and soulful touch.

With a new drummer, the first single (Side Dish) for VIA-music was produced. After this single this mainly jazz-orientated label from Holland, signed the band for a whole new album. This single gave good impression of the new dimensions and possibilities of the new line-up of the band and the coming-up album! This multi-media album ?Birdskin' was released in 1996, containing 14 tracks and CD-ROM data. Good grooves and smashing vocals combined with modern multi-media like cartoons, video's and photo's on 1 CD!

In the year 2000 the new album ?This Life' was released. Filled with fresh tunes and multimedia stuff, the album surely was a good start of the new millennium! New vocalist Linda Bloemhard and Canadian drummer Greg Smith have added their spicy vibes to the Mendoza Dance Parti style. The result is a new and tasteful crossover between funk, pop, jazz, drum & bass, disco and many more styles without loosing the specific Mendoza Sound.

In 2005 the band finished the 5th album, with a superb group of singers: Raffaela Herbert, Junior Tecla, Adriana Romijn, Ivar, Lilian Vieira, Linda Bloemhard, Job Chajes & Monique Bakker. Stay tuned for sound samples of new tracks on our sounds pages on this website.