Le tropisme des Minyo Crusaders pour la cumbia ne date pas d'hier. Bonne pioche du printemps 2019 avec la sortie de leur premier album Echoes from Japan, le collectif tokyoïte y dévoilait déjà son adresse à manier tous les grooves dans un épatant cocktail de chants traditionnels et d’une sono mondiale allant du jazz éthiopien à la pop thaïlandaise en passant par un florilège de rythmes sud-américains.
Remarqués sous nos latitudes lors de leur passage cet hiver sur la scène des dernières Trans Musicales de Rennes, les Minyo Crusaders franchissent aujourd’hui une nouvelle étape en annonçant la sortie d’un second disque concocté avec les activistes de Frente Cumbiero. Passés eux aussi spécialistes dans la modernisation bouillonnante de l’héritage musical de leur pays (et déjà croisés auprès de Quantic ou encore des Meridian Brothers), Mario Galeano et sa bande sont tombés sous le charme de leurs homologues japonais à l'occasion d’un concert donné à Fuji Rock en 2018. 

​De là est née cette idée d’enregistrer quelques morceaux ensemble à Bogota, profitant d’un concert donné l’an dernier par le groupe tokyoïte dans la capitale colombienne. Premier extrait dévoilé de cette collaboration audacieuse dont la sortie est prévue fin juillet sur le label londonien Mais Um ★, la relecture du classique de Pedro Laza Cumbia del Monte Fuji annonce la couleur d’une fusion impeccable. Un mix jubilatoire mêlant la chaleur des cuivres, des bongos, et de la guacharaca à l’azur ancestral émanant des textes du min’yō, cette musique traditionnelle japonaise à qui le collectif a emprunté son nom de baptême.

Relative, melodic, theologically sound creative; these words describe songs penned and performed by Tamara Lloyd. Maywood, IL, Tamara's hometown, is where it all began. At the tender age of three, Tamara, better known as "Tammy" began to sing perfect pitch harmony. Her mother, Yvonne an accomplished singer in her own right, discovered is talent. Tamara remembers hearing her mother singing around the house to the likes of André Crouch, The Hawkins Family and Sarah Jordan Powell just to name few. This Music was the foundation of her appreciation and love of music.

During adolescent and teenage years, Tamara would perform in piano recitals orchestrated by her great-grandmother, Marie Griffin. She would also participate in several choir singing anywhere from soprano to tenor, and even some baritone.
High school played a major role in her musical development. She started in beginner choir, but was soonplaced in senior choir, and madrigal singers her sophomore year. Tamara was also the first black female to go on tour with her high school jazz band. During this time is when she discovered recording, and she loved it.

Tamara has had privilege to perform and produce with wonderful talent such as : James Hamilton and the hamilton singers, Promise (hip-hop), ETW (hip-hop), Greg Lockett and friends, Darlene McCoy, David Hollister and Lisa McClenton, Michael Loyd, Kevan Peabody, J.Windsor, Carlton Whitfield, Donyea Goodman, Jody Daniels, Paul Persely to name a few.

In 2012, Tamara launched her first music business. T.Vox Sound, LCC was born out of a need Tamara saw in the industry specifically among the indie music industry. Tamara's goal is for T.Vox Sound, LCC to become a one stop shop for producers, musicians and artist.
T.Vox Sound specializes in :
- Vocal arrangement
- Songwriting
- Vocal coaching
- Music Production...

T.Vox sound is networked with several producers, sound engineers, artist, songwriters and musicians who are contracted out to bring the right flavor to any given project.

Tamara's main desire is to create good music for all to enjoy. She prays that her music uplifts, admonishes and brings healing to the masses.

"Life is for the living.
Death is for the dead.
Let life be like music.
And death a note unsaid."
Langston Hughes, The Collected Poems.