About KOMITOMS

KOMITOMS, Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2017 aimed at providing engaging and meaningful music experiences to maximize quality of life and increase workplace morale.

With the support of the Matthew Cooper Projects Fund, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Grammy award-winning musicians, Montclair State University, SUNY New Paltz, the creative arts therapy community, and loving family and friends, Keep On Moving TV was created to serve the needs of the growing senior population.

Have you ever been to a nursing home, at an hour in between meals and scheduled activities? If so, you have probably witnessed residents and staff disengaged with each other in a dining room with the TV on in the background. This environment that lacks therapeutic focus tends to breed increased agitation, worry, wandering, despondency, and apathy amongst residents and increased guilt amongst family members. We are here to change that!

Marlon Sobol is a professional musician, drummer, percussionist, Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), and Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in the state of New York. Sobol’s musical pedigree runs in the family. His father was a master clarinetist, concert producer, and educator and his mother is a concert pianist and teacher who continues to make contributions to the field of music education for special learners.

Marlon began playing drums at the age of 3 and formally studying at the age of 8.

When he was 16 years old, he went on an exchange program and studied the culture and music of South Africa. Here he was influenced to become a fully expressive musician; drumming, singing, dancing, and mallet playing. The power of rhythm to unite people, the simple and supportive joys of the communal experience, and the limitless decompartmentalized presentation of the music making process were the raw ingredients that eventually drew Marlon to the field of music therapy and eventually gave birth to Komitoms, Inc in 2017.

Marlon graduated the New School University's Mannes College of Jazz and Contemporary Music program in 2002 with a BFA while obtaining a Creative Arts Therapy Certificate under the direction of Dr. Louise Montello. He has studied percussion with Bobby Sanabria, Charlie Perry, Charli Persip, Joe Chambers, Joe Ascione, Vanderlai Pereira, Robby Ameen, Chuck Bonfonte, Mike Abbot, Glen Richards, and Kenny Bolds. While in the New School’s Afro-Cuban Jazz band, Marlon had the opportunity to play with Candido Camero, Hilton Ruiz, Ronnie Cuber, Michael Mossman, and Randy Brecker. Marlon has performed with Richie Havens, David Amram, John Zorn, Cyro Baptista, Lew Tabackin, Harold Ousley, and Lonnie Youngblood.

Sobol is the percussionist in Afrobeat band Zion80 which the NY Times has called “A Truly Soulful Experience” and has toured internationally with this “Marvelous Mashup” as called by the Village Voice.

Marlon has appeared on the Carson Daly Show and has performed at Madison Square Garden, Webster Hall, Irving Plaza, BB Kings, Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, Joe’s Pub, the Stone, Windows on the World, the Supper Club, the Nuyorican Poet's Café, Swing 46, and the Louis Armstrong Legacy House hosted by Arvell Shaw. Marlon has recorded on albums including Zion80’s “Zion80” the music of Shlomo Carlebach, “Adramelech” the music of John Zorn, Matisyahu's grammy nominated "Youth" and "Arise… Shake off the Dust", the Yalloppin Hounds, "New Yalloppin City", "Lindy-Hop Deluxe", "The Architect " and Rayzd, "Fear is the Mind Killer."

Sobol has been featured in "DRUM!" Magazine, the "Journal News," and "Preserving Your Memory" Magazine in the spring of 2008.

Marlon Sobol demonstrated his interactive drum facilitation ability in "Rhythmic Activities for Everyday Care", an instructional DVD sponsored by the New York State Department of Health, in collaboration with the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. The DVD was distributed to over 600 nursing homes in NYS.

Marlon was the leader of NYC based Hip-Hop/Reggae band Shem's Disciples where he composed, and arranged the music. As band leader, he released his debut album "Sow Melodic" in 2007, “ Keep On Moving” in 2010 featuring popular American standards arranged over Afro-Caribbean and New Orleans rhythms.

Sobol has over 20 years of experience in the long-term care industry. He is an active clinician and supervisor of international and national music therapy students. Sobol continues to perform, to lead interactive drumming events, to teach, and to provide music therapy services. Sobol lives in Rockland County with his wife and 4 children.