The Mummers are a band based in the English coastal city of Brighton, centred on London-born singer/songwriter Raissa Khan-Panni, composer Mark Horwood (before taking his own life in September 2009), producer/writer Paul Sandrone and co-producer/manager Alastair Cunningham.

Biography

Raissa Khan-Panni Raissa Khan-Panni (born 1971) is an English singer-songwriter who records under the name Raissa. She is best known for the 2000 single, "How Long Do I Get", which was airplay (radio), playlisted by UK radio stations. The song reached No. 47 in ...

, once better known as Raissa, is a singer whose origins include English, Chinese, Indian, and Mexican. She was raised in the South London district of

West Norwood West Norwood is a largely residential area of south London within the London Borough of Lambeth, located 5.4 miles (8.7 km) south south-east of Charing Cross. The centre of West Norwood sits in a bowl surrounded by hillsides on its east, ...

, and as a child studied classical music, learning the piano and then

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...

. She spent her school-days busking in Leicester Square and later all over Europe, before returning to study music in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. In 2000 she enjoyed critical acclaim across the media spectrum, most notably with the album ''Believer'' released by

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

and the single "How Long Do I Get" which was played extensively on UK radio stations. Despite the acclaim, by 2001 the solo projects were winding down and Khan-Panni returned to work, waitressing full-time in a Brixton restaurant. She describes this period as "a time of having nothing again" when, after several years of excitement, she returned to the mundane and the ordinary. However, she was still writing lyrics which began by documenting this period of her life but soon spun out to a fantasy world as her mind wandered while working. In September 2009, Mark Horwood committed suicide. The band states they intend to 'honour his spirit completely'.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Tale to Tell'' (2009) – Big Bass Drum

Extended plays

* ''Mink Hollow Road'' (2011) – Big Bass Drum

References

External links

Official Website (archive from 2022 - site no longer exists)The Mummers at BBC Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mummers Musical groups from Brighton and Hove