Chris "Mongo" Kulman - CELEBRATE MONGO!!!

Monday concert will remember 'Mongo' Former
bassist, 36, died after surgery on back

By Craig Astwood - Special for The AZ Republic - azcentral.com
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July 29, 2006 12:00 AM

When former bassist and Tempe and Mesa resident Chris "Mongo" Kulman, 36, passed away in June from
complications following back surgery, it touched a lot of people in the local music community. Those people are
putting on a benefit show Monday at The Clubhouse in Tempe called "Celebrate Mongo," to raise funeral
and medical expense money for his family in Wisconsin.

Kulman was a bassist for the Tempe band Bit-O-Jane before its departure from the music scene a few years
ago. Former members are returning to Tempe to play Monday's show, including original member and
current Gin Blossoms drummer Scott Kusmirek. Kusmirek is the only drummer Bit-O-Jane ever had. There
is a possibility another member from the Blossoms may be joining him Monday.

Blake Thompson is also returning. The former guitarist and vocalist for the band lives in Massachusetts but still
maintains a residence in Tempe. "I had moved to Arizona looking for a better place to play music," he said.
"Bit-O-Jane was the first band I saw. We immediately became friends, I ended up staying in Arizona and I
joined the band." Thompson said Bit-O-Jane's music was similar to Barenaked Ladies and Big Head Todd and
The Monsters. "We were an acoustic-based band with a lead electric," he said. "We fell into sort of a jam band
(genre) but we still had pop songs."

Jim Hornaday, bassist for Shawn Johnson & The Foundation, will take Kulman's place on bass guitar Monday.
He explained that three out of the four members of Bit-O-Jane took turns at lead vocals. "The songs that Chris
sang will be sung by a variety of guest vocalists," said Hornaday. Hornaday's old recording studio in Mesa
recorded a CD for Bit-O-Jane in the late 90s. "We described Chris as 'The Gentle Giant,' " said Hornaday.
"He was 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds." "He was phenomenally talented," Hornaday said. "In addition to playing
bass, he played guitar, piano and sax."

According to Walt Richardson, a musical staple in the Valley for about 30 years, "Not only did he have musical
talent, he had culinary skills as well." Friends said Kulman was a chef at the old Beeloes in Tempe and he also
cooked dishes for a restaurant in Mesa. Richardson said after Bit-O-Jane broke up Kulman would sometimes
sit in with his band.

"The reunion will be bittersweet," said Thompson. "It will be really sad, but it will feel really good to play
the music we used to."

The Clubhouse is at 1320 E. Broadway Road. Music begins at 7 p.m. for the 21-and-older show.
The cover is $5.

Chuck E. Baby, Shawn Johnson & The Foundation, Walt Richardson and Bit-O-Jane will perform.

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