From digging into desert grooves with Touaregs on the rooftops of Timbuktu to all-night trance sessions with Sufi masters in the mountains of Morocco, percussionist and composer Orpheo McCord has traversed a wide musical landscape over the past 20 years.  

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Orpheo has been an active member of the Grammy award winning group Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros  (best known for their single “Home”, as well as their infamous high energy live shows) since the group's inception over a decade ago. 

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Early on his musical path, McCord discovered a profound love for the sacred rhythms of Africa and an interest in their ceremonial roles inducing trance states. This drove him to deepen his studies in Ghana, Mali, Morocco and Cuba.

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McCord’s worldliness ensured that he made a name for himself, recording and touring as drummer for the influential post-punk English group, The Fall as well as prolific songwriter, Cass McCombs. He also performed with other luminaries such as The Flaming Lips, Ima Robot, Fool's Gold, Tinariwen, Master Musicians of Jajouka, and Brightblack Morning Light amongst others. 

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Presently, Orpheo is immersed in resonant percussion and its use in creating music that calms the nervous system and allows the listener space to go into enhanced states of awareness. He has developed a unique sonic palette using effected marimba and an array of indigenous instruments he has hand selected on his travels around the world. McCord’s ever evolving exploration in the integration of indigenous musics as well as his passionate curiosity to push sonic boundaries allow him to stand out both as a musician and composer. In 2018, he released his debut solo album, "Recovery Inhale".

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McCord, lives in Ojai, California with his wife and two children.