DiVoM

Original Compositions by David Vincent Mills:

DiVoM is an eclectic and progressive funky jazz instrumental power trio that covers the spectrum from moody and introspective soundscapes to high energy rocking and funky grooves. The group playfully melds jazz, funk, rock, pop, blues, r&b, gospel, roots, reggae and even klezmer to create a style all their own. The band performs all original tunes by founder David Vincent Mills featuring Mills' funky, feel-good, and electrifying piano and keyboard skills. In addition to the traditional instrumentation of keyboards, bass and drums, the band remains up-beat and whimsical with their spontaneous use of unexpected instruments such as melodica, harmonica, toy piano, glockenspiel and toys (horns, bells and whistles!). Mills' tunes are layered with a jazz structure but maintain a pop accessibility that are painted with a wide palette of foot tapping rollicking rhythms, mesmerizing melodies and hypnotic harmonies from around the world to create a groove orientated adventure that takes one on a rousing ride! DiVoM appeals to fans of jazz, funk, and/or jam bands who listen to Medeski Martin & Wood (MMW), The Bad Plus, Esbjorn Svensson Trio (E.S.T.), Cinematic Orchestra and Phish.

DiVoM Bios

David Vincent Mills -

Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Organ, Synthesizer Programming, Toy Piano, Melodica, Harmonica, Glockenspiel, Toys (Horns, Bells, and Whistles), Percussion and Auxiliary Percussion 

David Vincent Mills is a composer, improviser, and performer whose roots are in jazz and classical music as he studied both piano and trumpet from a young age. In his early teens, David began studying with renowned pianist and composer Clare Fischer. Later in life he has broadened his palette to include all Western musical styles and various musical genres of the world. Today he is interested in free-form improvising as well as using original compositions as a launching pad for improvisation, tapping into an assortment of musical styles and discovering the common ground within the juxtaposition of those styles. 

Mills has performed throughout the world, including the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Playboy Jazz Festival and has opened up for Chick Corea and Lionel Hampton. He has also toured with American Idol's Kimberley Locke and has shared the stage with Eric Marienthal and Bobby Shew. In a review of his CD "Have We Met?" with Daren Burn's and his band 3 Squares, Jerome Wilson of Cadence magazine wrote, "David Vincent Mills' piano has some of Carla Bley's simple and elemental style."

David also works as a composer creating jingles for radio, soundtracks for videos, audio books, television and original songs for his independently released CDs. In addition, Mills has been a studio musician as well as a producer for numerous recording artists in the genres of jazz, rock, and folk.

Baba Elefante - 5 String Fretless F Bass and Upright

Baba Elefante is a bassist and composer who was voted one of the nation's top bass players in a Bass Player Magazine poll. His studio work spans television, movies and records including the 1995 Universal movie "The Hunted"." Baba has performed with jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, saxophonists Pete Christlieb and Justo Almario, vocalist Michael Sweet, "Yes" keyboardist Patrick Moraz, Lee Osker Band and "Kansas" lead vocalist John Elefante.

Craig Bunch - Drums, Percussion, Auxiliary Percussion

Craig Bunch is a composer, improviser, and performer who has a diverse musical range of styles from many different influences, including jazz, rock, funk, and music of the world, in which he draws into his composing and his playing. Bunch is a versatile drummer who not only lays down a solid groove, but treats the drum set like an orchestra, utilizing the full spectrum of timbres and textures available to him in his playing. This ability to capture the full range of the voice of the drum set adds to the depth of his free-form improvising. He has toured worldwide in various groups, most notably with John ‘Drumbo’ French of Captain Beefheart, and has performed with the Magic Band, Wadada Leo Smith, Vinny Golia and Geron Davis among others.

If you would like to hire David Vincent Mills and his band for your venue or event, please contact him here.

Underneath, the recording debut of DiVoM will delight fans of both funky jazz and jazzy funk!

The album Underneath presents 11 original tunes composed and produced by David Vincent Mills who was featured on keyboards, organ, synthesizer programming, toy piano, melodica, harmonica, glockenspiel, percussion, auxiliary percussion and toys (horns, bells, and whistles). The album also features the Los Angeles critically acclaimed bassist Baba Elefante on 5 string fretless F bass and upright, who was nominated as one of the nation’s top bass players in a Bass Player Magazine poll, and Craig Bunch on drums, percussion and auxiliary percussion, who was the former drummer for Captain Beefheart's 'The Magic Band'.