Poi Dog Pondering

Poi Dog Pondering is an American musical group which is noted for its cross-pollination of diverse musical genres, including various forms of acoustic and electronic music. Frank Orrall founded the band in Hawaii in 1984, initially as a solo project, and as his music production alias. In 1986 Orrall formed the first line-up of PDP to perform its first concert at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The band then embarked on a yearlong street performance busking tour across North America. They eventually settled down in Austin, Texas in 1988, where they recorded 2 E.P. (extended play) albums for Texas Hotel Records, and 2 subsequent full-length albums for Columbia Records. In 1992, the band relocated to Chicago and they began to incorporate orchestral arrangements and elements of electronic, house music, and soul music into their acoustic rock style.

The membership of Poi Dog Pondering has evolved from album to album, with over three dozen members having drifted in and out of the line-up; at any given time, the band may feature from eight to over a dozen players on stage. Frank Orrall (vocals, guitar, other instruments) has been the sole constant player since 1984 (the inception of the band). Abra Moore (vocals), John Nelson (percussion), and Ted Cho (electric guitar, mandolin, bass), joined in 1986. Dave Max Crawford (organ, trumpet, accordion), Bruce Hughes (bass, vocals), Adam Sultan (guitar), and Susan Voelz (violin, guitar, vocals) joined the group in 1988, Erika Winklebleck (Superfan and broomstick bristler), Paul Mertens (flute, sax, clarinet), Dag Juhlin (guitar), Robert Cornelius, and Kornell Hargrove (vocals) joined in 1993. The rest of the current line-up joined in 1999 through early 2000. Some members have left the group and returned at various times.