Mandala (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 in Toronto, Canada |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Music (R&B, soul) |
Mandala was a Canadian band specializing in R&B and soul genres during the 1960s. Established in 1965 in Toronto, they initially performed under the name The Rogues before adopting the Mandala moniker shortly before achieving their first Canadian Top 40 success with the single "Opportunity".
The group is distinguished by the presence of guitarist Domenic Troiano, who later collaborated with The James Gang and The Guess Who, as well as drummer Pentti Glan, known for his work with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed, notably on Reed's 1974 live album, Rock 'n' Roll Animal. Vocalist Roy Kenner also eventually fronted The James Gang during Troiano's period with the band.
Origins
Mandala’s roots trace back to The Rogues, who served as the house band at Toronto's Club Bluenote during the summer of 1964. Keyboardist Josef Chirowski, bassist Don Elliot, and drummer Pentti "Whitey" Glan had previously played together in various ensembles, including Whitey & The Roulettes, which featured future guitarist Mike McKenna.
In 1965, vocalist George Olliver and ex-Robbie Lane and the Disciples guitarist Domenic Troiano joined forces, leading to the formation of The Rogues. For a brief period in late 1965, David Clayton-Thomas—who would later become Blood, Sweat & Tears’ lead singer—was also part of the lineup.
By spring 1966, without Clayton-Thomas, The Rogues rebranded themselves as The Five Rogues. They cultivated a strong local following through regular performances at venues such as Hawk's Nest, Club El Mocambo, and Gogue Inn. At Gogue Inn, they opened for Wilson Pickett alongside R K & The Associates, which included future Mandala vocalist Roy Kenner. Their touring circuit extended across Ontario locations like Whitby Arena and Oshawa's Jubilee Pavilion. During this era, they recorded demo tracks titled "I Can't Hold Out No Longer" and "I'll Make It Up To You".
Transition to Mandala
In mid-September 1966, under the guidance of manager Rafael Markowitz (also known as Randy Martin), a former television clown, the band underwent a transformation in both image and name. Renamed Mandala—a term referring to a symbolic circle used by Buddhist monks for meditation—the group was positioned as a conduit for emotional expression aimed at their audience. Embracing pinstripe gangster-inspired suits and enhanced by strobe lighting effects, Mandala returned to Toronto in early October launching their "Soul Crusade," which ignited widespread excitement among fans.
Expansion into Hollywood
The American market soon became a focus for Mandala. In late November, they embarked on a brief tour of Los Angeles performing four nights at the Whisky a Go Go and three weekends at the Hullabaloo, attracting crowds of approximately 1,400 attendees largely through word-of-mouth promotion. On their return journey, they recorded Troiano’s composition "Opportunity" at Chess Studios in Chicago, featuring backing vocals from The Dells. Released under Decca’s KR label, "Opportunity" achieved significant success on Toronto’s CHUM Chart, peaking at number three on February 20, 1967.
Following an intense series of performances throughout early 1967 in Toronto, Mandala proceeded to New York in March for an extended residency at Steve Paul's venue The Scene. They shared the stage from March 6 to April 2 with folk musician Eric Andersen.
Murray the K's Easter Rock Extravaganza
In New York, Mandala took part in Murray the K's Easter Rock Extravaganza held at Manhattan’s RKO Theatre from March 25 to April 4, performing alongside renowned groups such as Cream, The Who, and Wilson Pickett. After this event, the band toured with Wilson Pickett and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels before heading back to Toronto.
In April, KR released Mandala’s second single, "Give & Take," which climbed to #21 on the CHUM chart. The band commenced work on their Soul Crusade album at Toronto Sound Studios, but progress was hindered by internal disagreements.
Over the following months, Mandala made several returns to New York, playing at The Scene from April 25 to May 5 and again on July 18. They also performed at Montreal’s Garden of Stars during Expo between July 30 and August 5.
Nevertheless, rising internal strife led to changes. After their last September 27 performance at The Scene, lead vocalist George Olliver exited to form a new band. Keyboardist Domenic Troiano also left, balancing daytime employment with Canadian Pacific Railways and nighttime gigs with The Power Project.
Roy Kenner and Atlantic Records
A revamped lineup featuring singer Roy Kenner (born January 14, 1948, Toronto) and keyboardist Henry Babraj from Roy Kenner & The Associates made their debut at Ottawa’s Roost on October 8, 1967.
Mandala embarked on their fourth US tour in November, kicking off at the Cheetah in Hollywood and including a November 13 appearance at San Bernardino's Swing Auditorium alongside Buffalo Springfield and The Yellow Payges.
In early 1968, Atlantic Records head Ahmet Ertegun acquired the band’s contract from Decca, influenced by producer Phil Spector. That February, Mandala recorded six tracks at Atlantic Studios in New York, including the Arif Mardin-produced single "Love It-is," which reached #9 on the CHUM chart by July.
By April, recording sessions for their debut album Soul Crusade were complete. The group toured the US before returning to Toronto in June. Around this time, Babraj departed and was permanently replaced by Hugh Sullivan of Mr Paul & The Blues Council during a stay in the Bahamas. Additionally, Mandala recorded at least two commercials for Coca-Cola.
Challenges arose later that year: bassist Don Elliot was involved in a serious car accident in October 1968 and subsequently left the band. Sullivan took over bass responsibilities on keyboards during a Canadian tour. Their final single, "You Got Me," did not chart, and Soul Crusade experienced disappointing sales. After performing at Detroit and Grand Rapids Pop Festivals in Michigan in April 1969 and adding bassist Prakash John from The Stone Soul Children, Mandala played their last show on June 1, 1969, at Toronto's Hawk's Nest.
Aftermath
Don Elliot joined Leigh Ashford and later Milestone during the early 1970s.
Original frontman George Olliver led The Soul Children before recording and touring with Natural Gas in the late 1960s. He eventually headed George Olliver and Friends alongside former Mandala member Barry Hutt.
Keyboardist Josef Chirowski collaborated with various Toronto bands prior to joining the prominent rock group Crowbar.
Hugh Sullivan briefly played with Merryweather. Kenner, Troiano, Glan, and John reunited as Bush, releasing one album in 1971. Sullivan died by suicide in 1977.
Kenner and Troiano contributed to recordings with The James Gang between 1972 and 1974. Chirowski, Glan, and John became well-known session and touring musicians for artists including Alice Cooper and Lou Reed. Troiano pursued a successful solo career that occasionally involved Kenner. Kenner specialized in advertising vocals based in Toronto. John founded The Lincolns, a Toronto-based rhythm and blues ensemble that continues to perform.
Domenic Troiano passed away from cancer in 2005; Pentti Glan died in 2017.
Discography
- 45 – "Opportunity" / "Lost Love" (KR 0115) – 1967
- 45 – "Give and Take" / "From Toronto '67" (KR 0121) – 1967
- 45 – "Love-Itis" / "Mellow Carmello Palumbo" (Atlantic 2512) – 1968
- 45 – "You Got Me" / "Help Me" (Atlantic 2576) – 1968
- LP – Soul Crusade (Atlantic SD 8184) – 1968
References
Citations
Sources
- Archived Classic Rock Page article on Mandala [1]
- Toronto Daily Star, December 12, 1966: "Los Angeles 'Sun-set' raves over The Mandala"
- Canadian Teen Magazine, Jan–Feb 1967: "The Soul Sound of The Mandala"
- Toronto Daily Star, June 28, 1967: "This time, only a few shrieks for the Mandala"
- RPM Weekly magazine, issue dated November 14, 1967
- The Toronto Telegram's "After Four" Thursday section featuring live performance listings