mandala

Originally recognized under the name the Rogues, the Canadian five-piece Mandala operated under the direction of Italian-born Domenic Troiano and rapidly earned recognition among the most dynamic acts on the Toronto R&B circuit throughout the 1960s. Troiano handled guitar duties alongside keyboardist Josef Chirowski, bassist Don Elliot, singer George Olliver, and drummer Whitey Glan. Renowned for their intense stage shows, the ensemble fused soul, funk, R&B, and psychedelic rock into a forceful style that featured strobe effects, coordinated suits, and audience engagement reminiscent of a revival meeting.

After establishing themselves locally, the musicians extended their reach into American venues with notable engagements in Los Angeles and New York. Toward the end of 1966 they secured a contract with KR Records and cut their debut single “Opportunity” at Chess Studios in Chicago. The Troiano composition reached the Canadian Top Ten and was succeeded in May 1967 by “Give and Take.” Despite mounting success, Olliver departed midway through 1967; Chirowski soon followed, later contributing to Alice Cooper’s band and multiple Peter Gabriel recordings. Their replacements, vocalist Roy Kenner and Henry Babraj, both formerly of R.K. & the Associates, joined as the group prepared its first album and maintained an active touring schedule across Canada and the United States. Executive Ahmet Ertegun subsequently signed Mandala to Atlantic, after which Babraj exited and Hugh Sullivan assumed keyboard responsibilities.

Soul Crusade appeared in the summer of 1968. Troiano produced nine of its ten tracks, including sole authorship of seven songs, leaving only the single “Love-itis” to another producer. The latter track received Stateside radio exposure, and the album earned favorable notices. Elliot’s departure, triggered by a car accident, reduced the lineup to a quartet; he later performed briefly with Leigh Ashford in the early 1970s before leaving the industry. Sullivan covered bass lines via keyboard pedals while ongoing member changes, creative inertia, and label disputes eroded the band’s progress. Ertegun reportedly clashed with manager Randy Markowitz regarding artistic direction, and Troiano later recalled that the executive preferred him as lead singer over Kenner. A brief Canadian tour in October and the December single “You Got Me” failed to revive momentum, leading to a final appearance in June 1969 at Toronto’s Hawk’s Nest.

After Mandala dissolved, Troiano, Kenner, and Glan formed Bush alongside bassist Prakash John, issuing one album in 1970. Glan subsequently drummed for Lou Reed and joined Alice Cooper in the mid-1970s together with Chirowski and John. Sullivan collaborated with John Kay of Steppenwolf before his death in 1978. Kenner and Troiano entered the James Gang in 1972 and continued working together on projects through the 1980s. Troiano succumbed to cancer in 2005 following a ten-year struggle. Olliver maintains an active performance schedule and is still regarded as a Toronto R&B staple. Although most Mandala releases remained unavailable after their initial period, collector interest persisted; the 1985 compilation Classics gathered key singles and album cuts, while the 2005 CBC documentary Shakin’ All Over devoted significant attention to the group’s place in Canadian music history. Pacemaker Entertainment issued the first CD edition of Soul Crusade in June 2010.