Biography
In the winter of 2009, Torbitt Schwartz aka Little Shalimar went to Los Angeles to work on a project with producer Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio, Maximum Balloon) but was immediately sidelined with severe pneumonia. Bed-ridden and heavily sedated with codeine cough syrup and pot cookies, he wrote the songs that would become his debut solo EP, The New Pneumonia Blues. Singing as well as playing every instrument on the album Little Shalimar shows touches of Dr. John, Can, Tom Tom Club, Jimi Hendrix, and Gnarls Barkley. From the kazoo driven bounce of "Bad Position" to the guitar/synth bombast of "Winds of Wackness", what remains most consistent are wry yet sincere lyrics, a wicked groove, and some genuine shredding.
Torbitt returned to NYC where he studied jazz performance and composition at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music with Chico Hamilton, Junior Mance, and Henry Martin. It was at this time that he began his career as DJ Little Shalimar (a moniker that has since evolved into the name of his live band). He has shared the decks with the likes of Peanut Butter Wolf, Eli Escobar, DJ Spinna, Theo Parrish, Stretch Armstrong, Bobbito Garcia, Prince Language, and many more. Known for his eclectic mix of disco, funk, hip-hop, house, rock, soul, and reggae, he has toured the world and held down residencies at some of New York City's most happening clubs. Torbitt was recently awarded top honors in the 2011 edition of New York Magazine's "Best Of NYC" issue for his regular Saturday party at Franklin Park.
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