The Pimps of Pompe specialize in jazzed-up renditions of 90s/2000s hip-hop and R&B, infusing favorites from the likes of 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg with vintage jazz to create a vibe that is equal parts swag and sophistication.
Like a smoky mezcal old-fashioned, you may at first not know what to expect, but as soon as you get a taste, you marvel at such an unlikely yet well-balanced blend. That’s the reaction the Pimps of Pompe aim to invoke — your new favorite musical cocktail that continues to surprise and delight your ears with the musical mash-ups you didn’t know you were missing.
Providing fresh takes on old favorites is the driving ethos behind bandleader Cynthia McDermott’s development of this classy, sassy blend — “I got tired of thinking I had to make a choice between old and new, or jazz and hip-hop. These arrangements give me everything I want; the bold, sexy swagger of modern rap and R&B, combined with the sultry, romantic moods that jazz evokes.”
In another unexpected twist, Cynthia’s instrument of choice is the mandolin, but again, she makes it work. Her love of jazz harmonies and respect for rhythm and groove drive her arrangements to be lush, colorful and danceable. At the end of the day, the band strives to have fun, be themselves, and do a really good job at whatever crazy combo they attempt, whether it’s rapping Big Poppa over a samba groove or turning Ginuwine’s Pony into a gypsy jazz waltz. Invention, exuberance, integration — this is what it means to pimp the pompe. $5 cover